title: Measuring oral sensitivity in clinical practice: a quick and reliable behavioural method.
abstract: This article aims to offer a behavioural assessment strategy for oral sensitivity that can be readily applied in the clinical setting. Four children, ranging in age and with a variety of developmental and medical problems, were used as test cases for a task analysis of tolerance to touch probes in and around the mouth. In all cases, the assessment was sensitive to weekly measures of an intervention for oral sensitivity over a 3-week period. Employing an inexpensive, direct, specific to the individual, replicable, reliable, and effective measure for a specific sensory problem would fit better with the edicts of evidence-based practice. The current method offered the initial evidence towards this goal.
authors.affiliation: Loughborough University Centre for Research into Eating Disorders (LUCRED), School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Brockington Building, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK, t.m.dovey@lboro.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Terence M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dovey
authors.forename: Victoria K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Aldridge
authors.forename: Clarissa I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000523:psychology; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000523:psychology*; D019959:Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D012778:Short Bowel Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D058496:Smith-Magenis Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D014110:Touch; D014886:Weaning