Evaluating Local Vibration Therapy to Reduce Drooling and Improve Muscle Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating local vibration therapy combined with conventional physiotherapy to help reduce drooling and improve the muscle function around the mouth and under the jaw in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. This randomized-controlled trial compares the effects of actual local vibration therapy to a sham vibration procedure to better understand their impact on drooling severity and muscle biomechanics. The study is designed to assess the therapys potential benefits in pediatric cerebral palsy patients aged 2 to 18 years. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one group receives local vibration therapy applied to the perioral and submandibular regions for 5 minutes each total of 10 minutes once daily for three consecutive days alongside conventional physiotherapy. The other group receives sham vibration, where the device is activated but does not contact the skin, also once daily for three days with physiotherapy. This setup allows comparison between the active treatment and a placebo-like control. During the study, assessments occur at three time points before treatment baseline, immediately after the third intervention session, and at a 1-week follow-up. Researchers measure muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity, as well as drooling severity and frequency. Caregivers also report on the burden of drooling, and a global rating of change scale is used after treatment sessions. Participants are monitored to ensure adherence to treatment, with a requirement of at least 85% adherence. The trial is expected to be completed by August 2026.

Local Vibration for Drooling in Children With Cerebral Palsy