[Respiratory dynamics measurements in children with four to ten years of age].
BACKGROUND
respiratory dynamics measurements are frequently used in the speech-language pathology practice, but few are the scientific data for children.


OBJECTIVE
to study the respiratory dynamics in children with nasal breathing.


METHODS
the study was performed with a stratified random sample of 106 nasal breathing children, male and female, from schools of the city of Marília-SP, with ages between four and ten years. The following measurements were obtained: vital capacity (VC) in both standing and sitting positions, with and without nasal occlusion; maximum phonation time (MPT) of sustained vowels and consonants and also of speech when counting numbers.


RESULTS
the mean values for VC in the standing position with and without nasal occlusion were of 1515.56ml and 1538.67ml respectively and for the sitting position of 1524ml and 1539.15ml respectively. MPT of vowels in seconds were: /a/ = 8.32, /i/ = 8.61 and /ul = 8.42; of consonants: /s/ = 6.64 and /z/ = 7.65; and when counting numbers: 7.76. It was observed that the mean values of these measurements progressively increased according to age. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) not only for the MPT of vowels but also for the MPT of consonants in older children, i.e. between 4 and 10 year olds, 4 and 9 year olds and 4 and 8 year olds. There was no significant statistical difference for the VC values in consecutive age groups. There was a strong association between VC and the child's physical development.


CONCLUSIONS
this study presented respiratory dynamics measurements in children that can be used for the spech-language diagnosis and therapy. Other studies should be developed in order to bring additional information on the subject.
Fabron
Eliana Maria Gradim
EM
Departamento de Fonoaudiologia da Universidade Estadual Paulista-Marília. elianaf@marilia.unesp.br
Santos
Gisele Rodrigues dos
GR
Omote
Sadao
S
Perdoná
Gleici Castro
GC
D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008451:Maximal Voluntary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D009666:Nose / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture; D012119:Respiration; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*