[The treatment of drooling in handicapped children. Observations apropos of 12 operated cases]. / Traitement du bavage chez l'enfant handicapé. Réflexions à propos de 12 cas opérés.

The authors report their experience about the surgical treatment of drooling in handicapped children. They operated on twelve patients suffering from cerebral palsy, ranging from eleven to nineteen years of age. The procedure included the posterior rerouting of parotid ducts to the anterior pillars as in the Wilkie's operation but with tubularization of the mucosal flaps. The excision of the distal part of the submandibular duct on both sides was performed in a second operation, one to five years later in four patients, but in the initial operation for the last six cases. A successful control of drooling was reached in ten patients. But the two parts of the procedure are necessary to get a good result. The only first part is always insufficient as in the other two cases. There were few complications: one salivary cyst after rerouting of a parotid duct which required marsupialization, another one with spontaneous regression. Only one patient is complaining of feeling an excessive dryness of his mouth and lips. Other methods of treatment: physiotherapy and different kinds of surgical procedures are recalled. However, this series is too short to permit a valid conclusion and to define the place of the procedure in the treatment of drooling.

[Statistical study of the relationships between the etiology and clinical picture of cerebral palsy]. / Etude statistique des relations existant entre l'étiologie et l'atteinte clinique de l'infirmité motrice cérébrale.

846 children with cerebral palsy were examined and 642 were selected for a statistical study by correspondence analysis. The aim was to identify without any prior assumptions, the relationships between the aetiological factors and the clinical findings. The study was completed by conventional statistical analysis of 584 of the cases. Small birth weight and a history of abnormal pregnancies was associated with a cerebral palsy affecting both legs, and often with a squint. Resuscitation was associated with athetosis and abnormalities of posture and behaviour. If the resuscitation lasted for more than 15 minutes or there were certain problems during delivery, severe abnormalities of both arms and major speech difficulties were observed. Resuscitation for less than 15 minutes or for an unknown time or intractable vomiting during pregnancy was associated with quadraplegia. Hemiplegia was related to post natal events but the aetiology was not always known. Foeto-maternal incompatibility was associated with athetosis, deafness, severe speech problems and ophthalmoplegias.