ALTERACOES DE MOTRICIDADE OROFACIAL E PRESENCA DE HABITOS NOCIVOS ORAIS EM CRIANCAS DE 5 A 7 ANOS DE IDADE : IMPLICACOES PARA INTERVENCOES FONOAUDIOLOGICAS EM AMBITO ESCOLAR

The persistence of pernicious oral habits during a child’s development may cause alterations and interference in the growth of the face and the functions of the stomatognathic system. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of stomatognathic system disorders, and to investigate the presence of such habits in children between 5 and 7 years of age, while trying to identify relationships between these occurrences. It also studied the main alterations observed in the sample, and indicated possibilities in instructing procedures at school. The subjects were 31 children, 15 boys and 16 girls, who attended a public school in the State of Parana. Questionnaires were applied to the mothers, in order to investigate the presence of pernicious oral habits and to perform an evaluation of the children’s speech ability. 24 of the 31 children presented stomatognathic system disorders and 19 presented pernicious oral habits. Among the stomatognathic system disorders, those related to position, tonus and mobility stood out. Functional disorders related to speech, swallowing and respiration were also observed. At the end of this research, educational advice was given to parents and teachers at the school, with emphasis on the essential role played by the teachers in extinguishing such pernicious habits in children who spend the whole day at school.