Development of a test to evaluate olfactory function in a pediatric population.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated two versions of a test for olfactory function to determine suitability for use in a pediatric population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
In phase 1, 369 children (ages 3-17 years) and 277 adults (parents) were tested. Children began with identification and familiarity judgments to pictures representing target odors and distractors. Odors were administered via a six-item scratch and sniff test. Each answer sheet contained the correct odor source and three distractors. In phase 2, 50 children (ages 3-4 years) and 43 adults were given a revised version with eight odors judged more representative of the source and familiar to children.


RESULTS
Both completion time and identification accuracy in phase 1 improved with age. Accuracy of children 5 years old and above equaled adults for two of the three best odors. In phase 2, adults' accuracy significantly improved relative to phase 1 (92% vs. 68%), and exceeded that of 4 year olds for four of eight odors and 3 year olds for seven of eight odors.


CONCLUSIONS
Children as young as 3 years of age can perform olfactory testing, but take longer than do older children and adults (7.44 vs. 5.66 vs. 3.71 minutes). Identification accuracy also increases as a function of age. The current six-item National Institutes of Health Toolbox Odor Identification Test is a brief, easily conducted test for evaluating olfactory ability. Collection of normative data for children of all ages and adults is needed to determine the clinical utility of the test and its interpretations for pathological conditions.
Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. pdalton@pobox.upenn.edu
Pamela
P
Dalton
Julie A
JA
Mennella
Christopher
C
Maute
Sara M
SM
Castor
Aleida
A
Silva-Garcia
Jerry
J
Slotkin
Christopher R
CR
Grindle
William
W
Parkes
Edmund A
EA
Pribitkin
James S
JS
Reilly
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*