Effects of kinesiotaping on the control of sialorrhoea in children with central nervous system conditions: a systematic review

Introduction. Sialorrhoea is an important sign in children with central nervous system conditions that seriously affects health and quality of life. Kinesiotaping is presented as a non- invasive alternative that is useful in controlling the swallowing of saliva. Aim. To examine the efficacy of kinesiotaping as a therapeutic resource in the control of sialorrhoea. Patients and methods. A bibliographic search was carried out in the databases Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Science Direct and Google Scholar, using the terms 'bandages', 'tape', 'kinesiotaping', 'sialorrea', 'deglutition', 'drooling' and 'swallowing difficulty', and the methodological quality was evaluated with Form-Quantitative Studies and the Oxford scale. Results. Ten studies were selected for review: six of which applied kinesiotaping in the suprahyoid area and four in the area of the orbicularis muscle of the lips. All studies show significant differences in the use of different treatment techniques, but without any significant differences between kinesiotaping and other techniques. Conclusions. Studies of high methodological quality are scarce; however, significant improvements in outcomes and no adverse effects are reported, which may have a positive influence on the clinical features and on day-to-day therapy.