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Olfactory Performance Assessed for Children by the Combined Testing of Olfactory Threshold and Odor Identification

Jia Liu1, Yimin Zhang1, Xiaojun Zhan1

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Capital Center for Children's Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy
|May 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study provides crucial normative data for olfactory threshold (OT) and odor identification (OI) tests in Chinese children. These findings aid in diagnosing olfactory dysfunction and assessing the sense of smell in pediatric populations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Otolaryngology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Evaluating olfactory function in children is vital.
  • Current research lacks normative data for olfactory tests in large Chinese pediatric samples.
  • Standardized olfactory tests are essential for clinical diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish normative data for olfactory threshold (OT) and odor identification (OI) tests in Chinese children.
  • To provide combined scores for a comprehensive olfactory assessment.
  • To aid clinicians in differentiating normosmia from olfactory dysfunction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the "Sniffin' Sticks" OT test and the 12-item "U-Sniff" OI test.
  • Collected data from 450 children aged 5–17 years.
  • Divided participants into age subgroups: 5–8, 9–11, and 12–17 years.

Main Results:

  • Established normative data for OT, OI, and total index (TI) scores across age groups.
  • Demonstrated a significant impact of age on olfactory test performance.
  • Older children exhibited superior performance compared to younger children (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • This study provides essential normative data for assessing olfactory function in Chinese children.
  • OT and OI tests effectively differentiate normal olfaction from dysfunction.
  • Combined testing offers a comprehensive evaluation of pediatric olfactory health.

Keywords:
childrennormative dataodor identificationolfactory threshold

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