Update: Respiratory and oral health in children and young adults with CP in Aotearoa New Zealand

An update on Respiratory Health in tamariki with CP in NZ: 

Research has been carried out to measure respiratory and oral health symptoms in children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi across different functional abilities using the Gross Motor Function Classifications System (GMFCS) and Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS) levels.

The research also wanted to see if there was any relationship between oral (mouth and teeth) health and respiratory health. Ninety participants aged between 0-26 years of age and living in the wider Auckland region completed the online questionnaire.

What did we find?

• It is recommended that health professionals should routinely use the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS) tool and discuss it with families of all children with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi to raise awareness of respiratory symptoms.
• If regular symptoms such as daily cough, coughing or choking on saliva and mealtime symptoms of wheezing, coughing, sneezing, or choking when eating are reported, this should lead to a further respiratory assessment.
• Further studies are needed to explore the link between oral health and respiratory disease in children with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi.

Click here to read the full research article titled “Eating and drinking abilities and respiratory and oral health in children and young adults with cerebral palsy”.

The project was funded by the Starship Foundation and recruitment was supported by the Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand and the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Register.

– Alexandra Sorhage
NZ Cerebral Palsy Register

To read more about eating and drinking for young children who live with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi, take a look at Chapter 4 of Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi: The Early Years Kete.