The results of oral motor therapy in infants with neurodevelopmental disorders

The aim of this study was to determine the results of oral motor therapy and family education on the oral motor function, stature/height, weight, and subcutaneous fat thickness in children with neurodevelopmental retardation and oral motor dysfunction. Twenty patients (11 male and 9 female) that were followed in the Pediatrics clinic of Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School. Patients were randomized to active and passive family education groups, 10 patients for each group. Oral motor therapy was applied to both groups for 8 weeks. Feeding of the patients were videotaped and oral motor functions were evaluated in the beginning and in the end of the study by using Gisel and Patrick assessment scale. Whereas stature/height, weight, and subcutaneous fat thickness measurements were performed in the beginning, and in 4th and 8th week of the study. Families who were given one session of oral motor therapy in the beginning of the study and requested to continue therapy at home were seemed to perform this therapy as good as the families in active and intensive treatment group. At the end of the study, patients in both groups were seemed to improve in terms of oral motor scores, stature/height, weight, and subcutaneous fat thickness; however there was no statistical difference between two groups. In conclusion, it is important for the physiotherapists to include oral motor therapy within the routine physiotherapy programs and provide family education in children with neurodevelopmental retardation and oral motor dysfunction in order to offer a healthy and quality life.Keywords: Oral motor therapy, oral motor dysfunction, neurodevelopmental retardation, child.