Management of drooling for children with neurological problems in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
To share our experience in the management of drooling in Hong Kong, to describe the clinical profile of children with this problem, and to report the clinical outcome of oro-motor training.


METHODS
Children attending the Drooling Clinic of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong between January 2000 and June 2003 were included. Multidisciplinary assessment was performed to ascertain the medical condition, functional status and oro-motor difficulties of each child. Intervention might include optimization of medical condition, oro-motor training and surgery. Severity of drooling was rated by a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS). The outcome of oro-motor training was assessed by the change in VAS from baseline.


RESULTS
Eight children, with a mean age of 11.9 years, were included. Six children suffered from cerebral palsy and two had syndromal diagnoses. All had moderate or severe mental retardation. Poor lip closure, inadequate jaw control and delay in swallowing were common oro-motor difficulties. All children received oro-motor training. The mean duration of follow-up for seven children was 17 months. The mean baseline VAS was 7.1. When compared with the baseline, VAS rating during the training period decreased with a mean difference of 3.0. The difference remained at 1.9 at 4 months after training had stopped. Other functional gains, such as improved sucking and swallowing, were identified. Six caregivers declined surgery. One child improved and did not require surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term follow-up of oro-motor training suggested beneficial outcome.
Yam
Winnie Ka Ling
WK
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Chuen On Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China. wklyam@hotmail.com
Yang
Hellen Li Chien
HL
Abdullah
Victor
V
Chan
Carol Yu Lai
CY
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy*; D013663:Teaching; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants