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Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
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Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns

Published on: September 16, 2019

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Mouth breathing in children with learning disorders

Giovana Serrão Fensterseifer1, Oswaldo Carpes, Luc Louis Maurice Weckx

  • 1Faculdade de Medicina, PUCRS ATM.

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
|October 22, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with enlarged pharyngeal and palatine tonsils (adenotonsillar hypertrophy) show a higher prevalence of learning disabilities. Nasal cavity volume was not significantly associated with learning difficulties in this case-control study.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Learning disorders affect a significant number of children, impacting their academic and personal development.
  • Understanding the underlying causes of learning disabilities is crucial for effective intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between nasal cavity volume, pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy, and palatine tonsil hypertrophy in children with and without learning disabilities.
  • To determine if anatomical differences in the upper airway contribute to learning difficulties.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 48 children (24 with learning disabilities, 24 controls).
  • Participants underwent ENT examinations, including history, physical examination, acoustic rhinometry, and cavum radiography.
  • Learning disabilities were identified based on school failure for at least two consecutive years.

Main Results:

  • A significantly higher prevalence of pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy (p < 0.001) and palatine tonsil hypertrophy (p < 0.001) was observed in children with learning disabilities.
  • No statistically significant association was found between average nasal cavity volume and learning difficulties (p = 0.75).

Conclusions:

  • Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is associated with an increased likelihood of learning difficulties in children.
  • These findings suggest that enlarged tonsils may play a role in the development or exacerbation of learning disorders.
Abstract

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