Orofacial myofunctional disorder characteristics in cerebral palsy and their treatment methods

Abstract

Relevance. The variety of clinical manifestations of orofacial myofunctional disorders in cerebral palsy determines the need to improve diagnosis and treatment approaches. According to the authors, the planning of rehabilitation measures for children with cerebral palsy and orofacial pathology should be individual.Materials and methods. 120 children (mean age 8.7 years) with cerebral palsy and orofacial myofunctional disorders participated in the study with subsequent assessment of dental and neurological statuses during treatment, prevention and rehabilitation.Results. The study established correlations between general motor pathology, malocclusion and changes in the speech organs depending on the clinical form of cerebral palsy. Spastic dysarthria and anarthria were detected in 82 cases, age-appropriate speech and language development - in 38. Occlusion assessment revealed malocclusion in 88 subjects, neutral occlusion – in 32.Conclusions. Modern approaches to the treatment of malocclusion and orofacial myofunctional disorders in children with cerebral palsy allow increasing the effectiveness and quality of rehabilitation, organizing the sequence and continuity of specialist actions in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.