Factors Affecting the Chewing Ability of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Background & Objectives: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are expected to have different chewing patterns from normal children due to the abnormal movements of their jaw, lips and tongue. Abnormal chewing is closely connected with six factors: CP type, severity, abnormal oral reflex (e.g., tongue thrust), oral paresthesia, seizure history, and cognitive ability. This study investigates which of these factors are related to the chewing ability of children with CP. Methods: We identified 65 types of CP as well as their severity based on patient medical records when the level of GMFCS had been recorded. In other cases, a physical therapist assessed the children directly. Abnormal oral reflexes, oral paresthesia, seizure history, cognitive ability, and chewing ability were directly assessed. Results: Among the six factors considered, the factors that affected chewing ability were the type of CP, severity, abnormal oral reflex and seizure history. Among the CP types, only spastic quadriplegia and the mixed type were related to chewing ability. In addition, tongue thrust and tonic bite reaction were other related factors. Discussion & Conclusion: The results of this study help us predict the chewing ability of CP patients by investigating related factors. In addition, it is important to examine how the factors differ according to the types or the severity of CP. Subsequent studies on the chewing of CP patients based on this study are needed.ope