UCSF

Purpose: To assess age-related differences in oral health related quality of life for a population of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and their caregivers.

Methods: Participants included children referred to at the Service Training Advocacy Research (STAR) Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and NDDs at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). An oral health survey consisting of two previously validated surveys 1) the World Health Organization (WHO) oral questionnaire and 2) the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) was given to their primary caregivers. The survey was used to assess the child’s oral health, parental perception of the child’s health, parental comfort level in providing dental care, and overall oral health-related quality of life (OHRQL). Data was collected, and subjects were categorized into two groups by age: 1) those under 6 years of age, and 2) those 6 years and older. Appropriate statistical analyses were conducted with p-value<0.05 to be statistically significant. Linear regressions were completed to compare age to ECOHIS scores.

Results: Statistically significant differences in OHRQL were present between age groups for ECOHIS-total and ECOHIS-family impact. Linear regressions showed statistically significant correlation between age and ECOHIS scores in all domains. Therefore, OHRQL was shown to worsen as the child ages.

Conclusion: Families of children with NDDs reported negative impact on their OHRQL. Age-related differences in OHRQL emphasize the importance of early intervention and early establishment of a dental home for children with NDDs.