Relationship between Harmful Oral Habits and Complaints of Language Difficulties

Introduction: The prevalence of deleterious oral habits in children with complaints of language difficulties has shown significant when considering their presence as an individual risk factor for the occurrence of language disorders in this age range.

Objective: To relate deleterious oral habits with complaints of language difficulties observed by parents.

Methods: Transversal descriptive study realized with patient’s parents waiting at the specialty clinic of SUS, from July to December 2013. The parents were questioned about the presence of oral habits and complaints related to language difficulties. After the interview, they were oriented about the possible harms of oral habits through a guided conversation by students of speech therapy. Project approved by UFCSPA’s Research Ethics Committee number 1853/12 in 03/21/2013.

Results: Sixty parents indicated their child as systematic user pacifier and/or bottle feeding, and in 36.66% were described by the family member as having difficulties related to language. The complaints were “little talk” (10%); “exchange of speech sounds” (10%); “difficulties in reading and writing” (5%) and (8.33%) reported diverse complaints about possible changes in language development. All were advised to seek speech therapy at the clinic of reference at the city where they reside.

Conclusion: Parental awareness is needed toward the fact that the presence of deleterious oral habits can be a cause of alterations in language development. Therefore, acting in the prevention of oral habits and promoting health and life quality of these patients is crucial.

Keywords: Language, oral habits, speech therapy.