Tongue Muscular Assessment in Children (TMAC) - Reproducibility Testing

Université Catholique de Louvain

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Orofacial praxis assessment; Other: Tongue strength assessment; Other: Tongue endurance assessment; Other: Anthropometry; Other: Sleep quality assessment

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06464081

TMAC-reprod

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to assess intra-rater and inter-rater reliability in measuring tongue motor skills in children.

Full description

Several motor skills of the tongue can be described: tongue elevation, swallowing, and protrusion. They are all relevant for a wide array of disorders, including neurological, musculoskeletal, and respiratory conditions. An ongoing study by our team is attempting to collect normative data on these motor skills in a pediatric cohort (NCT06166680). From this ongoing study, 56 subjects will be selected to assess the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability in measuring these motor skills.

Enrollment: 56 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 4 and 17 years old

Exclusion criteria

• Eating disorder
• Dysphagia
• Cardiorespiratory disorder
• Neurological disorder (including neuromuscular disorders)
• Previous or ongoing obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome
• Previous or ongoing cancer of the head or neck
• Previous oral or pharyngeal surgery (except for the surgical removal of wisdom teeth)
• Cranial, oral or upper airway malformation (ex.: nasal cavities, pharynx)
• Previous or ongoing orthodontic treatment (e.g. braces)
• More than 33% of positive answers to the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (≥ 8/22)

Trial design

56 participants in 1 patient group

Inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability

Description:

Tongue protrusion, elevation and swallowing measurements will be assessed at three time points, each interspersed by a one-week to one-month interval. Assessments will be conducted by the same rater during two of these time points, whereas another independent rater will conduct the assessments of the third time point.

Treatment:

Other: Sleep quality assessment

Other: Anthropometry

Other: Tongue endurance assessment

Other: Tongue strength assessment

Other: Orofacial praxis assessment