Tongue Muscular Assessment in Healthy Children (TMAC)

Université Catholique de Louvain

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Healthy

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

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06166680

TMAC

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to obtain normative values for tongue motor functions in healthy children.

Full description

Since the tongue is a complex structure consisting of a continuous array of muscle fibers with varying orientation, tongue motor functions (strength, endurance) are likely to differ according to a protrusion (pulling out the tongue), elevation (lifting the tongue to the roof of the mouth) or swallowing movement.

There are currently no normative data for the motor functions of the tongue in children. After their parents fulfilled the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, each included children will undergo an anthropometric and a tongue motor functions assessment.

Enrollment: 300 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being between the ages of 4 and 17

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

300 participants in 1 patient group

Healthy children

Description:

Healthy children between the ages of 4 to 17 will undergo tongue motor functions assessment and their parents will fulfill the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire

Treatment:

Other: Sleep quality assessment

Other: Tongue endurance assessment

Other: Anthropometry

Other: Tongue strength assessment

Other: Orofacial praxis assessment