Oral Structural and Functional Problems in Children With Autism

Investigation of Oral Structural and Functional Problems in Children With Autism Secondary IDs:

This study aims to examine oral structural and functional problems in children with autism.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Chewing Problem; Drooling
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: oral assessment

Detailed Description

In this descriptive study, children with autism will be screened for oral structural and functional problems. In this context, observational evaluation will be made. The presence of tongue thrust reflex, chewing performance and salivation control in children will be examined.Within the scope of the research, demographic data, parameters related to the oral motor development stage (time to transition to solid food and solid food, time to first teething) will be recorded according to parental report. Oral structural evaluation, including open mouth, high palate, oral hygiene and malocclusion, will be made observationally and recorded as present/absent. Within the scope of oral functional evaluation, tongue thrust reflex, chewing function and salivation control (dooling) will be evaluated.

The questions the investigators will test for this purpors; Q1:What oral structural and functional problems are seen in children with autism? Q2:What is the frequency of oral structural and functional problems seen in children with autism?

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 90

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ayşe Kübra Söyler, PhD; Phone Number: 553 925 43 46; Email: ayse.kubra.sahan@adu.edu.tr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Children with autism (CwA) are five times more likely to experience feeding-related problems than their typically developing peers. Oral functional problems (chewing disorder, drooling of saliva), food selectivity, inappropriate mealtime interaction, abnormal eating speed (holding food in the mouth for a long time or fast feeding) and failure to eat the usual family diet are feeding-related reported in CwA.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with autism,
• Not having any additional diagnosis other than autism,
• Age between 5-15 yers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not being able to receive the commands required to obtain working data.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Demographic Information Form	Descriptive information will be recorded.	1 month
Time to achieve Oromotor skills	Parameters related to oromotor skills (transition time to additional food and solid food, initial teething time) were recorded based on a parental report.	1 month
Oral structural assessment	Oral structural evaluation, including open mouth, high-arched palate, oral hygiene and malocclusion, will be made observationally and recorded as present/absent. Evaluation of malocclusion will be made observationally while at rest. It will be recorded as normal, over jet, open bite, deep bite and cross bite present/absent.	1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Chewing evaluation	Chewing function will be evaluated with the "Mastication Function Observation and Evaluation Tool (MOE, The Mastication Observation and Evaluation)". This tool includes an objective assessment of the chewing process in children. The child is monitored while eating a standard biscuit, and the observer scores the child's chewing skills based on 8 parameters. This assessment tool evaluates tongue movements, jaw movements, chewing time, food/saliva overflow, swallowing and coordination during chewing.	1 month
Drooling of saliva evaluation	Drooling frequency and sverity scale (DFSS) will be used. Drooling severity is scored between 1 and 5. It is scored as 1 meaning no saliva and dry, and 5 meaning continuous flow to the body and objects. Frequency is scored between 1 and 4. 1 means no drooling, 4 means constantly drooling.	1 month
Tongue thrust evaluation	The presence and severity of the tongue thrust will be evaluated with the Tongue ThrustRating Scale (TTRS). It evaluates the tongue thrust between 0 and 3 points. While 0 indicates that there is no tongue reflex, 3 indicates that the tongue is positioned outside the mouth, that is, a severe tongue thrust.	1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hacettepe University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ayşe Kübra Söyler, Aydin Adnan Menderes University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 11, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 13, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 12, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 9, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 3, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 9, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 9, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 3, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: autism; drooling; chewing
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Stomatognathic Diseases; Mouth Diseases; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Salivary Gland Diseases; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Sialorrhea
• Other Study ID Numbers: E-15189967-050.04-494458

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No