Changes in severity and impact of drooling after submandibular gland botulinum neurotoxin A injections in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Aims: To examine changes in objective and subjective drooling severity measures after submandibular botulinum neurotoxin A injection in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, explore their relationship, and evaluate if clinically relevant responses relate to changes in the impact of drooling.

Method: This longitudinal, observational cohort study involved 160 children (92 males, 68 females; 3-17y, mean 9y 1mo, SD 3y 6mo) treated between 2000 and 2012 at the Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the 5-minute Drooling Quotient (DQ5) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for drooling severity pretreatment and posttreatment, and Pearson's rho to assess their association.

Physical therapy treatment in children with cerebral palsy after single-event multilevel surgery: a qualitative systematic review. A first step towards a clinical guideline for physical therapy after single-event multilevel surgery.

Background: The aim of this study was to review available evidence for physical therapy treatment (PTT) after single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS), and to realize a first step towards an accurate and clinical guideline for developing effective PTT for children with cerebral palsy (CP) after SEMLS.

Methods: A qualitative systematic review (PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library) investigating a program of PTT after SEMLS in children aged 4-18 years with CP classified by Gross Motor Function Classification System level I-III.

Results: Six articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected.

Submandibular gland botulinum neurotoxin A injection for predicting the outcome of submandibular duct relocation in drooling: a retrospective cohort study.

Aim: This study evaluated whether the effect of submandibular gland botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) injection can predict the outcome of submandibular duct relocation with sublingual gland excision (SMDR) in children with drooling. Furthermore, we compared the effectiveness of both procedures.

Method: A retrospective cohort study was performed in 42 children and adolescents (25 males, 17 females; mean [SD] age at BoNT-A injection 11y [4], range 4-20y; mean [SD] age at SMDR 15y [4], range 7-23y) with cerebral palsy or another non-progressive developmental disability who had undergone both BoNT-A injection and SMDR for drooling.

Generalization and maintenance of a self-management program for drooling in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities: A second case series.

In this case series (n = 10) with a non-concurrent multiple baseline design, a self-management program was shown to be effective during inpatient training in eight participants with oral-motor problems and normal intelligence or mild intellectual disabilities. They were taught to perform a self-management routine and to remain dry for increasing time intervals. In addition, the program provided differential (self-) reinforcement of swallowing, controlling and wiping behavior, explicit formulation of motivational factors, instruction and feedback for parents and teachers, and continued practice after discharge.

[The treatment of drooling in children].

Undesirable drooling in children is an underexposed problem and difficult to treat, although there are multiple treatment options. A multidisciplinary approach is preferable for the examination and treatment of patients with drooling. The injection of botulinum toxin is the most frequently performed treatment for children who drool, but the effects are temporary.

Accurate assessment of drooling severity with the 5-minute drooling quotient in children with developmental disabilities.

Aim: The aims of this study were to examine whether objective measurements of the 10-minute drooling quotient (DQ10) and the 5-minute drooling quotient (DQ5) are interchangeable; to assess agreement between the measurements and their accuracy in classifying drooling severity; and to develop a time-efficient clinical assessment.

Method: The study cohort included 162 children (61 females, 101 males; mean age 11 y 6 mo, SD 4 y 5 mo, range 3 y 9 mo-22 y 1 mo) suffering from moderate to profuse drooling. One hundred and twenty-four had cerebral palsy and 38 had other developmental disabilities.

Clinical practice: swallowing problems in cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in early childhood. The worldwide prevalence of CP is approximately 2-2.5 per 1,000 live births.

What could predict effectiveness of Botulinum Toxin to treat drooling: a search for evidence of discriminatory factors on the level of body functions or structures.

Background: The treatment of drooling is important to families that experience the daily impact and research to elucidate clinical factors that play a role in the outcome of drooling treatment should be encouraged.

Aim: To define clinical factors that influence therapy outcome of submandibular Botulinum Toxin (BoNT-A) injections for drooling.

Methods: Prospectively collected data of 128 children with cerebral palsy were evaluated; 80 spastic and 48 dyskinetic movement disorder, mostly Gross Motor Function Classification System III and higher; over 70% had an IQ <70.

Does motor performance matter in botulinum toxin efficacy for drooling?

The aim of this study was to define factors that influence therapy outcome of submandibular botulinum toxin injections for drooling in children with cerebral palsy or mental disability. We postulated that differences in response may be explained by the variation of dysfunctions in the various cerebral palsy subtypes. Prospectively collected data were evaluated of 80 spastic and 48 dyskinetic children, of whom 70% had an IQ of <70.

Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy combined with Bimanual Training (mCIMT-BiT) in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy: how are improvements in arm-hand use established?

A recent randomized controlled trial indicated that modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy followed by Bimanual Training (mCIMT-BiT) is an effective intervention to improve spontaneous use of the affected upper limb in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP). The present study aimed to investigate how the above-mentioned improvements as a result of 8 weeks mCIMT-BiT were established. 52 children with unilateral spastic CP with Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) scores I, II or III and aged 2.

Efficacy and duration of botulinum toxin treatment for drooling in 131 children.

Objective: To address the efficacy of botulinum toxin and the duration of its effect when used on a large scale for the treatment of drooling in children with neurological disorders.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Academic multidisciplinary drooling clinic.

Botulinum toxin versus submandibular duct relocation for severe drooling.

Aim: Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) has been described as an effective intervention for drooling and is being increasingly adopted. However, its effectiveness compared with established treatments is still unknown. We undertook a within-participants observational study to examine this.

Effectiveness of modified constraint-induced movement therapy in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP), there is only limited evidence for the effectiveness of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT).

Objective: To investigate whether 6 weeks of mCIMT followed by 2 weeks of bimanual task-specific training (mCIMT-BiT) in children with unilateral spastic CP improves the spontaneous use of the affected limb in both qualitative and quantitative terms more than usual care (UC) of the same duration.

Methods: Children with unilateral spastic CP with Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) scores I, II, or III and aged 2.

Thickened saliva after effective management of drooling with botulinum toxin A.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rheological properties of saliva after submandibular botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections.

Method: We enrolled 15 children (11 males and six females; age range 3-17 y, mean age 9 y 10 mo) diagnosed with spastic (n=9) or dyskinetic (n=6) quadriplegic cerebral palsy (CP); Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV or V; and two children with intellectual disability (IQ<70) who experienced moderate to severe drooling. Salivary flow rate and drooling quotient were measured at baseline and at different times after BoNT-A injections up to 24 weeks.

Validity and reliability of the VOAA-DDD to assess spontaneous hand use with a video observation tool in children with spastic unilateral cerebral palsy.

Background: In 2003 new computer software, the VOAA (Video Observations Aarts and Aarts), was designed to score and evaluate two important aspects of spontaneous upper limb use, i.e. overall duration and frequency of specific behaviours.

Drooling in cerebral palsy: hypersalivation or dysfunctional oral motor control?

Aim: To investigate whether drooling in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in general and in CP subtypes is due to hypersalivation.

Method: Saliva was collected from 61 healthy children (30 males, mean age 9y 5mo [SD 11mo]; 31 females, mean age 9y 6mo [1y 2mo]) and 100 children with CP who drooled (57 males, mean age 9y 5mo [3y 11mo], range 3-19y; 43 females, mean age 10y 1mo [4y 9mo], range 4-19y), of whom 53 had spastic, 42 had dyskinetic, and five had ataxic CP. Almost all children were affected bilaterally, and 90 of them were at Gross Motor Function Classification System levels III or higher.

Behavioral treatment of drooling: a methodological critique of the literature with clinical guidelines and suggestions for future research.

Many children with mental retardation and developmental disabilities suffer from the consequences of chronic drooling. Behavioral treatment for drooling should be considered before other, more intrusive treatments such as medication and surgery are implemented. However, empirical studies on behavioral procedures are scarce.

A pilot study of the Video Observations Aarts and Aarts (VOAA): a new software program to measure motor behaviour in children with cerebral palsy.

A new computer software program to score video observations, Video Observations Aarts and Aarts (VOAA) was developed to evaluate paediatric occupational therapy interventions. The VOAA is an observation tool that assesses the frequency, duration and quality of arm/hand use in children, in particular those with cerebral palsy. Reliability studies show that the first module, designed to evaluate a forced-use programme, has an excellent content validity index (0.

A descriptive analysis of studies on behavioural treatment of drooling (1970-2005).

A descriptive analysis was conducted on studies on the behavioural treatment of drooling (published between 1970 and 2005). The 17 articles that met the inclusion criteria described 53 participants (mean age 14y 7mo, [SD 4y 9mo]; range 6-28y). Sex of 87% of the participants was reported: 28 male, 18 female.

Effect of multilevel botulinum toxin a and comprehensive rehabilitation on gait in cerebral palsy.

To evaluate the effect of multilevel botulinum toxin A and comprehensive rehabilitation on gait pattern, muscle length, and spasticity, a multicenter randomized trial was performed in 46 children with spastic cerebral palsy who walk with flexed knees. Their mean age was 8.0 years (range 4 to 11 years).

The combined effect of lower-limb multilevel botulinum toxin type a and comprehensive rehabilitation on mobility in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the combined effect on mobility of treatment with multilevel botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) and comprehensive rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Design: Randomized clinical trial using a multiple baseline design. The intervention group was treated 6 weeks after randomization.

Drooling in children with cerebral palsy: a qualitative method to evaluate parental perceptions of its impact on daily life, social interaction, and self-esteem.

Research on the treatment of drooling applies measures such as salivary flow rate, qualitative observations of drooling severity in standardized situations, and anecdotal or one-dimensional parental and teacher reports. To assess drooling severity in a range of everyday conditions, and its impact on the daily life of children and their families, two parent questionnaires were constructed. Results of baseline measurements of 43 children with cerebral palsy showed that the questionnaires measured the variation in drooling severity across daily life conditions, and enabled evaluation of the impact of drooling on the ability to eat, drink and speak, on daily care, economic consequences, and social interactions.

Drooling in children with cerebral palsy: effect of salivary flow reduction on daily life and care.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of salivary flow reduction on daily life and provision of care in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Parents of children with CP were asked to fill in a questionnaire on the impact of drooling on the daily life of their children and their families and the data were then analyzed. Forty-five children with severe drooling (28 males, 17 females; mean age 9y 5mo [SD 3y 7mo]; range 3 to 16y) were monitored before and after receiving medication (scopolamine and botulinum toxin) to reduce salivary flow.

Social interaction and self-esteem of children with cerebral palsy after treatment for severe drooling.

Unlabelled: The impact of salivary flow reduction following medication (scopolamine and botulinum neurotoxin) on social interaction and emotional development (self-esteem) was evaluated in a group of 45 children with cerebral palsy who suffered from severe drooling. The children ranged in age from 3 to 16 years (median 9.1 years); 28 were male, 17 female.