Children's perceptions regarding functional limitations due to oral problems.

AIM: To evaluate factors associated with difficulty eating and speaking due to oral problems according to the reports of children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 769 5-year-old children at preschools in a city in northeast Brazil. Parents/caretakers answered a questionnaire addressing socio-demographic data and a history of dental pain. The children answered the scale of oral health outcomes for 5-year-old children, which was used to evaluate the dependent variables. Clinical examinations of the children were performed by examiners who had undergone calibration exercises. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and Poisson regression analysis (α = 5%). RESULTS: The prevalence of the perception of functional limitations on the part of the children was 35.5% for difficulty eating and 22.9% for difficulty speaking. Difficulty eating was associated with a history of dental pain (PR = 1.68; 95% CI 1.27-2.22) and the occurrence of traumatic dental injury (TDI) (PR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.01-1.52). Difficulty speaking due to oral problems was associated with studying at a public preschool (PR = 1.71; 95% CI 1.19-2.46), a history of dental pain (PR = 1.54; 95% CI 1.07-2.20), and the occurrence of TDI (PR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.12-2.06). CONCLUSIONS: Pain symptoms and the occurrence of TDI can exert an influence on the development of functional limitations. With regard to socioeconomic factors, studying at a public preschool can influence difficulty speaking in children.

Self-Perceptions of the Impact of Oral Problems on the Social Behavior of Preschoolers.

INTRODUCTION: Investigating preschool children's social behaviors and the association with oral health variables helps to understand child development. Besides that, different perceptions need to be explored regarding the impact of oral problems on the social behavior between the child's self-report and parent's/caregiver's proxy report. OBJECTIVE: To determine which socioeconomic and oral factors are associated with difficulty sleeping and playing and the avoidance of smiling in preschoolers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative random sample of 769 pairs of parents/caregivers and 5-y-old preschoolers. The preschoolers answered a questionnaire on difficulty sleeping, difficulty playing, and the avoidance of smiling for reasons related to oral problems. The parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire addressing socioeconomic characteristics as well as the use of dental services. Two calibrated dentists examined the children for the determination of dental caries, traumatic dental injury (TDI), malocclusion, and bruxism. Descriptive and Poisson regression analysis for complex samples with robust variance was used to test the associations (α = 5%). RESULTS: The variables associated with difficulty sleeping were low household income (confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-3.01), number of untreated dental caries (CI, 1.02-1.04), dental pain (CI, 1.76-3.59), TDI (CI, 1.08-2.11), and anterior open bite (CI, 1.11-2.20). Difficulty playing also was associated with the low household income (CI, 1.34-3.15), number of untreated dental caries (CI, 1.01-1.04), dental pain (CI,1.42-3.61), and TDI (CI, 1.13-2.33). The number of untreated dental caries (CI, 1.02-1.05), dental pain (CI, 1.03-2.88), anterior open bite (CI, 1.30-3.26), and not using dental services (CI, 1.13-2.73) were determinant factors for the avoidance of smiling. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic, symptomatic, and/or oral esthetic problems exerted an impact on the social behavior of the preschoolers analyzed, such as playing, sleeping, and smiling. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The results of the present study may help parents and clinicians to understand better the association of oral problems with the social behavior of preschool children. Moreover, this study shows the importance of listening to children in clinical decisions. These results also can help in the elaboration of oral health policies.

Cuidado à criança com asma: o discurso de familiares / Caring for the child with asthma: relatives’ discourse

Objetivo: descrever os cuidados desenvolvidos pelos familiares à criança com asma. Método: utilizou-se o método criativo sensível desenvolvendo-se a dinâmica de criatividade e sensibilidade mapa falante. Os participantes foram familiares/cuidadores de crianças com diagnóstico de asma. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de discurso Pechetiana. Resultados: o cuidado era cotidiano e desenvolvido prioritariamente por mulheres da família, com ênfase na prevenção das crises. As marcas discursivas nas falas das cuidadoras foram: a preocupação, a insegurança e os mitos sobre a doença. Considerações finais: o cotidiano de cuidados dessas crianças é permeado pelo medo de uma nova crise asmática. Como implicação para a prática clínica, sugere-se realizar atividades educativas com as famílias em uma perspectiva emancipatória, promovendo uma aliança de saberes.

Objective: to describe the care developed by relatives to the child with asthma. Method: thesensitive creative method was carried out by developing the dynamics of creativity and sensitivityof the speaking map. Participants were relatives/ caregivers of children diagnosed with asthma. Thedata were submitted to Pechetiana discourse analysis. Results: care was daily and developedprimarily by women in the family, with an emphasis on crisis prevention. The discursive marks in thespeeches of caregivers were: the concern, the insecurity and the myths about the disease. Finalconsiderations: the daily care of these children is permeated by the fear of a new asthmatic crisis.As an implication for clinical practice, it is suggested to carry out educational activities with familiesin an emancipatory perspective, promoting an alliance of knowledge.