The Acute Effects of Kinesio Taping on Drooling in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

Introduction

This study purpose of determining the short-term effects of kinesio taping on drooling in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods

CP were randomly divided into 3 groups as the kinesio tape (n = 16), sham tape (n = 16), and control (n = 16) groups. The drooling severity and frequency were assessed with the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale, and the amount of saliva was measured by the 5-minute drooling quotient. All outcome measurements were repeated for all children at the baseline, after 45 minutes, and after 2 days of application.

Results

There was a significant decrease found in drooling severity, frequency, and amount in the kinesio taping group (p < .05). There was no significant difference in the sham taping and control groups (p > .05).

Conclusion

The use of kinesio tape in drooling reduced drooling severity, frequency, and amount.

KEYWORDS:

• Cerebral palsy
• drooling
• kinesio tape
• saliva

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2024.2374080

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author Contribution

Nilşah YILMAZ: design, data collection, literature, writing

Duygu TURKER: analysis, literature, writing

Ayça AYTAR: analysis, literature, writing

Oya UMIT YEMISCI: data collection

Aydan AYTAR: design, editing, analysis, literature, writing

Ethics

This thesis study was carried out with the approval of Baskent University Medical and Health Sciences Research Board (KA19/316) and the Turkish Ministry of Health. The trial registration number for this study was NCT04252157.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.