Banca de DEFESA: MARILIA PINHEIRO DE BRITO PONTES

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MARILIA PINHEIRO DE BRITO PONTES
DATE: 03/09/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Plataforma Google Meet
TITLE:

Feeding difficulties in children with myelomeningocele: associations with clinical aspects and oral motor function.

KEY WORDS:

Myelomeningocele; Feeding behavior; Food selectivity; Stomatognathic system.

PAGES: 72
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Fonoaudiologia
SUMMARY:

Abstract: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a congenital central nervous system malformation with a multifactorial etiology and significant repercussions on child development. Although global motor limitations and orthopedic complications are widely described in the literature, feeding behavior impairment and oral sensorimotor functions remain poorly explored in this population. The hypothesis of this study is that children with myelomeningocele present clinical and behavioral factors associated with the development of pediatric feeding disorder, and that changes in oral motor functions are associated with the presence and worsening of these difficulties. Objective: To investigate the presence, severity, and clinical, behavioral, and orofacial myofunctional factors associated with feeding difficulties in children with myelomeningocele. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee under opinion No. 7,584,024. Data collection was conducted with 14 children with MMC and their caregivers at a Specialized Rehabilitation Center (CER IV). Inclusion criteria: age between 6 months and 5 years and having had at least one oral feeding experience. The Brazilian Pediatric Feeding Scale (EBAI) was applied to measure and classify the severity of Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), and the MMBGR Protocol (Infants and Preschoolers) was used for orofacial myofunctional characterization. Inferential analysis applied the non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, as well as effect size estimates ( r, V de Cramér e ϵ 2). Results: The sample consisted of 14 participants, with a median age of 1.0 year, 8 (57.1%) of whom were female. Pediatric Feeding Disorder was identified in the majority of the children, with half of the sample classified as severe. A significant association was observed between PFD and the need for food texture modification, as well as with behavioral and relational factors, highlighting the need to force feeding, negative child behavior, refusal at the start of the meal, and the use of distractors. Regarding oral motor functions, incision and crushing patterns showed a clinical trend toward worsening PFD as motor impairment increased. The presence and severity of the feeding disorder were significantly higher in children who presented compensatory head movements and inadequate lip posture. Conclusion: Children with myelomeningocele show a high frequency and severity of feeding difficulties, which correlate with clinical and behavioral factors, postural deficits, and orofacial myofunctional impairments, reinforcing the importance of systematic screening and early speech-language pathology interventions.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - GEOVANA DE PAULA BOLZAN - UFSM
Interno - ***.018.964-** - GIORVAN ANDERSON DOS SANTOS ALVES - UFPB
Presidente - 1753208 - HIPOLITO VIRGILIO MAGALHAES JUNIOR