EZ-chEW: A Pilot Study of a Parental Home Metric for Chewing Performance.

The aim of this pilot study was to develop and administer a novel parent-report metric, the EZ-chEW, for documenting the temporal characteristics of jaw performance during chewing across various consistencies. We hypothesized that parents could collect data in their home environment and that toddlers would exhibit age- and consistency-related characteristics consistent with prior kinematic research. The development of the EZ-chEW questionnaire was informed by a review of the literature on chewing development, focusing on temporal aspects of chewing. Full-term children participated in chewing trials at 12, 18, 24, and 30 months. Parents reported on three trials per timepoint, and data were categorized into consistency groups using consensus scoring. Sixty-seven toddlers participated longitudinally. Parents completed home data collection with minimal instruction and no direct assistance. Chewing duration (seconds) and the number of cycles (i.e., mandibular open/close cycles) varied by age (p = .001 and p = .035, respectively) and by food consistency (both p < .001), with more complex consistencies generally requiring longer chewing durations and more chewing cycles across all ages. Chewing efficiency (cycles/sec) remained relatively stable across ages (p = .238) but differed by consistency, with more complex foods resulting in higher cycles/sec values p = .028). Parental assessment of chewing performance offers a valuable supplement to clinical evaluations of oromotor function. By capturing naturalistic behaviors in a home setting, EZ-chEW reduces the burden on healthcare providers and families while providing insights into chewing performance. These findings highlight the potential of EZ-chEW as an accessible tool for guiding interventions tailored to the needs of toddlers and their families.