| Abstrakt: |
INTRODUCTION: Autistic children are at an increased risk of developing caries and periodontal diseases due to poor Knowledge, attitude and practice among parents of autistic children. Dental care for such patients is neglected as they often face significant adversities in accessing dental care, due to the difficulty to locate a dentist specialized to treat such individuals. Parents are the decision makers in matters of health care for children with special health care needs; thus, they play an important role in achieving the best oral health outcomes for their children. Thus, parents should be educated about importance of oral health care that in turn also influences general health of their children. AIM: The aim of this study is to assess Knowledge, attitude and practice towards oral health care among parents of Autism Spectrum disorder children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was started after obtaining the clearance from Institutional ethics committee. The parents of all the children who were previously examined and diagnosed medically as ASD patients according to the centre’s medical records were included in the study. A participant information sheet, an informed consent form and questionnaire were sent to the all participant. The response which were received were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis. RESULT: A total of 64 participants responded to the questionnaire. Out of the total participants, 67 % (n = 43) were male respondents and 33 % (n = 21) were female respondents. The age group of the children at both the centres varied from 5 years to 35 years, it was divided into three age groups of children between 5-20 years 76%(n=49), 21-35 years 23% (n=15). Majority of the parents were not aware about the subsequent dental visits. Out of 64 children, 50 children brushed once a day and parents assisted them in brushing. 62 children used manual brushes. Majority of children also used mouthwash for oral hygiene maintenance apart from toothbrushing. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we could see clearly that many of the parents were not aware of oral hygiene practices. The significance of oral hygiene should be made aware to all caretakers, parents, and hospital members so that the autistic child can lead a healthy and independent life as they mature. The results of this study show that most of the children brushed once a day, which put them at higher risk of developing dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
