Deficits in working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with mouth breathing syndrome: analytical cross-sectional study

Sao Paulo Medical Journal

Rita Cristina Sadako Kuroishi¹  Ricardo Basso Garcia¹  Fabiana Cardoso Pereira Valera¹  Wilma Terezinha Anselmo-lima¹  Marisa Tomoe Hebihara Fukuda¹ 

关键词: Mouth breathing;    Memory;    short-term;    Cognition;    Underachievement;    Public health;    Respiração bucal;    Memória de curto prazo;    Cognição;    Baixo rendimento escolar;    Saúde pública;   

DOI  :  10.1590/1516-3180.2013.7630011

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:Mouth breathing syndrome is very common among school-age children, and it is possibly related to learning difficulties and low academic achievement. In this study, we investigated working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with nasal and mouth breathing.DESIGN AND SETTING:Analytical cross-sectional study with control group conducted in a public university hospital.METHODS:42 children (mean age = 8.7 years) who had been identified as mouth breathers were compared with a control group (mean age = 8.4 years) matched for age and schooling. All the participants underwent a clinical interview, tone audiometry, otorhinolaryngological evaluation and cognitive assessment of phonological working memory (numbers and pseudowords), reading comprehension and arithmetic skills.RESULTS:Children with mouth breathing had poorer performance than controls, regarding reading comprehension (P = 0.006), arithmetic (P = 0.025) and working memory for pseudowords (P = 0.002), but not for numbers (P = 0.76).CONCLUSION:Children with mouth breathing have low academic achievement and poorer phonological working memory than controls. Teachers and healthcare professionals should be aware of the association of mouth breathing with children's physical and cognitive health.

【 授权许可】

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