Effectiveness of Picture Exchange Communication System on Gingival Health of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

NCT03791385 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 20110011
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 37
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a communication system for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a PECS-based tooth-brushing program on gingival health in children with ASD and assess parents' perception of PECS. This was a prospective interventional study. Using PECS as a pictures/cards series showing a structured tooth-brushing method, 37 children with ASD (31 males, 6 females) (average age 9.49±4.10, 4-16 years) and their parents/caregivers were trained on tooth-brushing twice, two weeks apart. Data collected after examinations (baseline, 3, 6-months) included gingival and plaque indices (GI, PI) and two questionnaires (baseline, 6-months) for demographic data and parents' perception of PECS including: difficulty rating (easy, hard, very hard) and PECS usefulness.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS); Tooth-brushing program; Gingival index; Plaque index

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Gingival index score

  This score indicates the level of gingival inflammation upon examination of teeth, reported as the average score calculated as (total score for all teeth/number of examined teeth): Score 0 (Absence of inflammation), Score 1 (Mild inflammation: slight change in colour (more red) and little change in texture (loss of stippling), No bleeding on probing), Score 2 (Moderate inflammation: moderate glazing, redness, edema and hypertrophy; bleeding on probing), Score 3 (Severe inflammation: marked redness and edema; tendency to spontaneous bleeding; ulceration). A lower score indicates less gingival inflammation (better gingival health) and vice versa.

  6 months

• Plaque index score

  This score indicates the level of plaque (and reflects level of oral hygiene) upon examination of teeth, reported as the average score, calculated as (total score for all teeth/number of examined teeth): Score 0 (No plaque), Score 1 (Plaque not visible by eye, only detectable using a dental probe), Score 2 (Plaque visible by eye \& detectable with a dental probe along the gingival margin of the tooth), Score 4 (Thick layer of plaque visible by eye \& detectable by probe covering more than the gingival margin of the tooth). A lower score indicates less plaque (meaning better oral hygiene) and vice versa.

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Parents' rating of PECS difficulty

  6 months

• PECS usefulness

  6 months

Study Arms (1)

Study subjects

EXPERIMENTAL

Children with ASD and their parents/caregivers were trained on tooth-brushing twice, two weeks apart using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) PECS as a pictures/cards series showing a structured tooth-brushing method.

Behavioral: Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

Interventions

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) BEHAVIORAL

A communication system frequently used with non-verbal children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that uses a series of pictures that describe how a certain activity is done, in our case showing a structured method and technique for teeth brushing.

Study subjects

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Children diagnosed with ASD.
• Age between 4 and 18 years old.

You may not qualify if:

• Children unable to cooperate for data collection (poor behavior during dental examination).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Jordan University of Science and Technology: lead

Study Sites (1)

Jordan University of Science and Technology

Irbid, 22110, Jordan

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Pilebro C, Backman B. Teaching oral hygiene to children with autism. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2005 Jan;15(1):1-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-263X.2005.00589.x.

  PMID: 15663439 BACKGROUND

• Charlop-Christy MH, Carpenter M, Le L, LeBlanc LA, Kellet K. Using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) with children with autism: assessment of PECS acquisition, speech, social-communicative behavior, and problem behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 2002 Fall;35(3):213-31. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-213.

  PMID: 12365736 BACKGROUND

• Lerna A, Esposito D, Conson M, Massagli A. Long-term effects of PECS on social-communicative skills of children with autism spectrum disorders: a follow-up study. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2014 Jul-Aug;49(4):478-85. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12079. Epub 2014 Mar 21.

  PMID: 24655345 BACKGROUND

• Eslami N, Movahed T, Asadi M. Parents' Perceptions of the Oral Health-related Quality of Life of their Autistic Children in Iran. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2018;42(6):422-426. doi: 10.17796/1053-4625-42.6.3. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

  PMID: 30085870 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Ola B Al-Batayneh

  Jordan University of Science and Technology

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Children with ASD ages 4-16 years

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 23, 2018
• First Posted: January 2, 2019
• Study Start: April 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2011
• Study Completion: October 1, 2011
• Last Updated: January 2, 2019

Record last verified: 2018-12

Locations

JO (1)