The “Sniffin’ Kids-PT” test: A smell test variant for Portuguese children

Objective

Olfactory tests tailored for children are essential, as diagnosing olfactory dysfunction at these ages can be challenging. The 16-item “Sniffin’ Sticks” is reliable and easy to perform. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no validated olfactory test for the Portuguese pediatric population. This study aimed to adapt and validate the “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory test for the Portuguese pediatric population.

Methods

Between August 2020 and September 2021, 354 children aged between 6 and 17 years old enrolled in the study, 336 healthy children with a normal sense of smell, and 18 anosmic children with Kallmann syndrome. The study consisted of two parts. Firstly, the “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory identification test was applied to healthy children and the odors with statistically significant low identification rates were excluded. A modified version of “Sniffin’ Sticks” was defined and named “Sniffin’ Kids-PT” test. Secondly, normative data were assessed and test-retest and validation tests were performed.

Results

Apple and Cloves odors were identified with a low rate and were excluded from the “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory test. In the modified 14-item “Sniffin’ Kids-PT”, scoring < 6 (from 6–8 years old), < 7 (from 9–11 years old) or < 8 (from 12–14 years old and 15–17 years old) was indicative of olfactory dysfunction. The test–retest reliability was good (r = 0.81; P < 0.001) and the differences between scores of healthy children and anosmic children were statistically significant (U213 = 13.00; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The modified “Sniffin’ Kids-PT” is a reliable test to discriminate between normosmia and olfactory dysfunction in Portuguese children over 5 years old.