Comparision of the effect of kinesiology taping and oral motor therapy on drooling in children with Cerebral Palsy

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the oral motor therapy and the kinesiology taping therapy in the treatment of the drooling problem. In our study, 50 patients with cerebral palsy who age ranged 2-18 years, treated at a special education and rehabilitation center and moderate or severe saliva complaints were randomly divided into two groups as 25 patients with Kinesiology tape and 25 patients with Oral Motor Therapy. Taping application and oral motor therapy exercises were taught to families. Applications were made by families five times and by researcher twice a week for 8 weeks. Evaluations were performed twice before treatment and after 8 weeks of practice (after treatment). Gross motor function (GMF), salivary volume, dribble intensity, drool frequency, head control and functional independence (WeeFIM) were evaluated. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre-treatment and post-treatment gross motor function classification system, head control and functional independence of the oral motor therapy and the kinesiology tape groups (p = 1,000 and 1,000). Both groups were similar in comparison. There was a statistically significant decrease in both groups in the pre-treatment and post-treatment of General Drooling Percentage (GDP) to evaluate salivary volume ( p < 0,01 ). In the comparisons between groups, they were similar. The Severity of the Drooling to evaluate dribble intensity decreased significantly after treatment comparing to before treatment ( p < 0,01 ). There was no significant difference between the groups before and after treatment. Teacher Observation Scale Value for drooling frequency showed statistically significant decrease in both groups in the comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment (p < 0,01 ). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in both evaluations. There was a statistically significant decrease in the pre-treatment visual analog scale scores to evaluate dribble intensity in both groups (p < 0,01 ); but the comparison between the groups was similar in both groups. In conclusion, we can say that the oral motor therapy and the kinesiology taping are equally effective in control of saliva in children with CP.