The effect of physiotherapy treatment on saliva decrease in children with cerebral palsy

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physiotherapeutic treatment consisting of electrical stimulation, exercises and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) applied to orofacial area on drooling in children with spastic cerebral palsy. The study population consisted of 15 children with spastic cerebral palsy (mean age 9.9±3.6 year, mean weight 36.9±12 kg. and mean height 134±15 cm.) who were identified as having severe drooling. Salivary flow rate was measured in each session pre and post-treatment using drooling quotient (DQ) assessment method. Each patient received 8 therapy sessions with 2 sessions per week. There was statistically significant decrease in the rate of salivary flow rate in post-treatment period when comparing with pre-treatment observations (p<0.01). However, there was no permanent decreasing in the pre-treatment drooling levels throughout the therapy sessions (p>0.05). Children with cerebral palsy who drool appear to reduce saliva after physiotherapy treatment.