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MMBRG Protocol - Infants and Preschoolers: Myofunctional Orofacial Clinic Examination
Andréa Monteiro Correia Medeiros1, Irene Queiroz Marchesan2, Katia Flores Genaro3
1Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS - São Cristóvão (SE), Brasil.
Insights
This study validated the Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol for infants and preschoolers (ages 6-71 months). The protocol demonstrated strong content validity and reliability for speech therapy evaluations.
Area of Science:
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Pediatric Orofacial Myology
- Clinical Assessment Tools
Background:
- Orofacial myofunctional disorders can impact speech and feeding in children.
- Standardized assessment tools are crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention planning.
- The existing MBGR Protocol required adaptation for infants and preschoolers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate the Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol for the MMBGR Protocol - Infants and Preschoolers.
- To establish the protocol's content validity, response process validity, and reliability for children aged 6 to 71 months.
Main Methods:
- Content validity assessed via expert review (10 speech therapists) using dichotic and Likert scale questions.
- Content Validity Index and Exact Binomial Test applied.
- Response process validity and clinical examination reliability tested with 155 participants and 7 calibrated speech therapists, using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient.
Main Results:
- The Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol for Infants and Preschoolers achieved 90.5% expert agreement.
- 100% of specialists rated items as appropriate for at least 90% of the target age group.
- Reliability analysis showed reasonable to excellent agreement for most Extraoral, Intraoral, and Chewing examination items.
Conclusions:
- The Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol is validated for content, response process, and reliability.
- This validated protocol is a component of the MMBGR Protocol - Infants and Preschoolers.
- The protocol supports speech therapy activities for children aged 6 to 71 months.
Purpose:
To present the Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol belonging to the MMBGR Protocol - Infants and Preschoolers, including its validation.
Methods:
Initially, test content-based validity was evaluated from the MBGR Protocol to be used with the age group between 6 and 71 months based on the bibliography and experience between the authors (original and current). For the content and appearance analysis, 10 speech therapists specialized in Orofacial Motricity attended and filled out an electronic form with dichotic and Likert scale questions in two moments. We used the Content Validity Index and the Exact Binomial Test. Then there was a validity based on the response processes analysis followed by a reliability of the Clinical Examination with 155 participants by 7 experienced and calibrated speech therapists, and the examiners between and within agreement was verified by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient.
Results:
There were additions, modifications, and exclusions of items according to the age group, resulting in the Myofunctional Orofacial Clinical Examination Protocol for Infants and Preschoolers, which obtained 90.5% agreement; and 100% of the appropriate scores by at least 90% of the specialists. In reliability, most items of the Extraoral and Intraoral Examination and Chewing obtained a reasonable to good, or even excellent, agreement.
Conclusion:
The "Clinical Myofunctional Clinical Examination" was validated based on the test content, response process, and reliability and, along with the "Instructional" and the "Clinical History" is part of the "MMBGR Protocol - Infants and Preschoolers" for speech therapy activities in the age group between 6 and 71 months of age.
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