Tongue movements in normal 2- to 8-year-old children: extended profile of an eating assessment.
In this study tongue movements of 103 normal 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old children were measured and compared. The 5-year-olds were compared with children of an earlier study and data were combined for 2- to 8-year-old children. Two different tongue positions were measured as three standard textures of food were presented: first, the position of the tongue as the food was 5 cm away from the lips, and second, the position of the tongue or other oral characteristics as the food was swallowed. For the anticipation of food a significant age-texture (p less than .001) as well as an age-sex-texture interaction was noted (p less than .035). For swallowing, significant age (p less than .0001), texture (p less than .0001), and sex-age interactions (p less than .0001) were found. Although food is anticipated in a similar fashion by both sexes, age and texture differences must be taken into account when swallowing is evaluated. A preliminary developmental curve for the two eating behaviors is presented for children 2 to 8 years old.
Gisel
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School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003679:Deglutition; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014061:Tongue Habits