The Role of Speech Therapy in Sialorrhea Management and Quality of Life: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the impact of an intensive and a less intensive speech therapy regimen on pediatric sialorrhea patient and caregiver quality of life (QoL) as described by drooling impact scales (DIS). Methods: A retrospective chart review included all pediatric patients from a secretion management clinic. There were two outpatient speech therapy programs: intensive (4 sessions/week for 3 weeks) and less intensive (2 sessions/week for 3 months). Both regimens included similar interventions including neuromuscular electrical stimulation and facial taping. The primary outcome measure was reduction in caregiver reported DIS after completing their designated program. Children observed without therapy also obtained DIS assessments overtime to measure potential changes in QoL. Results: There were 49 patients included in the study with a mean age of 7.5 years (SD = 4.6). The most common comorbidities were global developmental delay ( Conclusion: Sialorrhea can drastically impact patients and their families. An intensive speech therapy program is associated with improved QoL as described by the DIS. Speech therapy should be considered as an effective treatment modality to improve outcomes for pediatric sialorrhea. Level of Evidence: 2.