Abstract
This study is aimed at identifying the relationship between oral motor treatment and the improvement of abilities for feeding and swallowing in boys and girls with CP residing in the state of Yucatán. The sample consisted of 30 patients with a diagnosis of CP and the presence of ADT, with gross motor function levels from II to V, between 3 and 14 years old, of which 50% received oral motor treatment. The predominant diagnosis was spastic CP and tetraplegia. An interview was carried out with the tutor, the application of the gross motor skills scale, and an assessment of feeding skills. The feeding and swallowing skills that improved significantly with the oral motor treatment were mandibular mobility, tongue activity, abnormal reflexes, control of breathing, and general oral motor skills (p ≤ 0.05). Within the sample that did not receive oral motor treatment, 46% presented low or very low weight and 40% referred recurrent respiratory diseases. In the end, it was concluded that feeding skills improve significantly with oral motor treatment, regardless of the severity of gross motor involvement. Likewise, oral motor treatment was associated with a lower presence of respiratory diseases and nutritional compromise.
Highlights
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of severe physical disability and motor function deterioration in children
This study included data from 30 children with CP (53% females and 47% males), with an average age of 8 ± 4:07 years
The group that had previously received oral motor therapy (OMT) was conformed of 8 men and 7 women, with ages between 3 and 14 years (8 ± 4)
Summary
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of severe physical disability and motor function deterioration in children. Feeding and swallowing disorders (FSD) are the most common in children with CP. Swallowing is a complex sensory-motor process that coordinates the bilateral contraction/relaxation in the muscles of the mouth, tongue, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus, traditionally subdivided into four phases: preoral, oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal [4]. Dysfunction of the pharyngeal phase is very dangerous due to the increased risk or incidence of food aspiration in the airways leading to recurrent lung infections and, in severe cases, death by bronchoaspiration. The clinical effect of preoral and oral phases disorders are often chronic, such as malnutrition or recurrent infections, which is very common in children with CP [5,6,7]
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