2.1.2. Recruitment procedure and sample size
Subjects were patients of the saliva management clinic of MABMacKay
rehabilitation center in Montreal. This is a multidisciplinary
clinic comprised of a pediatric otolaryngologist, a pediatrician,
a dentist, a neurologist, an occupational therapist, and a social
worker. It was set up in 2003 to manage drooling in children with a
variety of neuromuscular disorders including CP, intellectual
disability, and developmental delay [1]. The initial assessment
consists of separate evaluations by the rehabilitation team,
medical team, and a social worker. Each team analyzes the factors
that contribute to drooling. Finally all team members meet as a
group with the family and offer the most appropriate treatment
option based on the patients’ needs. Drooling is quantified as per
the number of bibs per day, the Drooling Quotient, and the
Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale.
All patient data was retrieved from a prospectively collected
database. Patients selected were those seen at the saliva
management clinic between January 1st 2010 and December 31
2013, who met the inclusion criteria stated previously. Ethical
approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the
McGill University Health Center Research Institute.