Review of management of drooling problems in neurologically impaired children: a review of methods and results over 6 years at Chailey Heritage Clinical Services

Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 2001 Apr;26(2):76-81. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2273.2001.00434.x.

Abstract

Drooling can be a difficult problem for a child to endure, both physically and socially, especially if they are also having to cope with physical disabilities. Chailey Heritage Clinical Services and associated School look after a large number of severely physically disabled children and adolescents. This paper reviews the management strategy of the multidisciplinary oral-motor clinic at Chailey Heritage Clinical Services, and reviews the results of children treated between 1990 and 1996. The management ranges from oral-motor skills training through palatal training appliances to surgery. Seventy-eight children, ranging from 3 to 17 years, were treated and there were complete records for 73. Eighteen per cent responded to oral skills training alone. Thirty per cent of children had good results with a palatal training appliance and did not need any further intervention. Forty-seven per cent of patients underwent some form of surgery to control their drooling. Only 8% of children were treated with medication.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Brain Diseases / complications*
  • Brain Diseases / physiopathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Deglutition Disorders / etiology
  • Deglutition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Deglutition Disorders / prevention & control
  • Disabled Persons*
  • Humans
  • Palate, Soft / physiopathology
  • Patient Care Team
  • Posture
  • Prostheses and Implants
  • Sialorrhea / etiology*
  • Sialorrhea / physiopathology
  • Sialorrhea / therapy*
  • Teaching