PURPOSE: To verify the oral transit time in children with cerebral palsy, and relating it to the degree of dysphagia severity and motor level. METHODS: The sample was 50 children with cerebal palsy, 23 males and 27 females, mean age of 3 years 7 months. The clinical assessment consisted in to provide food in liquid and pasty consistency. It measured the time of oral transit, and performed the diagnosis of swallowing function classifying it into normal, mild, moderate or severe dysphagia. RESULTS: The mean of oral transit time was found to be 1.33 seconds to liquid and 3.33 seconds for pasty consistency. As higher the level of the motor group of children, higher the time for swallowing liquid consistency, which was statistically significant. Statistically significant difference was found between groups for both consistencies, with a progressive increase of the time in accordance with the increase in impairment of swallowing. CONCLUSION: The oral transit time in children with cerebral palsy was found increased and may represent the severity of dysphagia presented, because this time was longer as worse the impairment in swallowing function. The higher the overall motor impairment presented, the longer oral transit time.
Cerebral palsy; Deglutition disorders; Time; Deglutition; Child