In this case series (n = 10) with a non-concurrent multiple baseline design, a self-management program was shown to be effective during inpatient training in eight participants with oral-motor problems and normal intelligence or mild intellectual disabilities. They were taught to perform a self-management routine and to remain dry for increasing time intervals. In addition, the program provided differential (self-) reinforcement of swallowing, controlling and wiping behavior, explicit formulation of motivational factors, instruction and feedback for parents and teachers, and continued practice after discharge. Generalization of the initial effect to the school setting was demonstrated in seven participants. Follow-up assessments demonstrated maintenance of positive results in four children up to 24 weeks, and for two other participants until 6 weeks after discharge. These results appeared to be relevant to parents and teachers. Teaching parents and teachers to implement the procedure enables them to support the child without professional supervision in the case of relapse.

Drooling is a distressing condition, which is often caused by reduced oral motor control associated with a neurological disorder. It has significant medical, practical and psychosocial impact on children or youth and their families. Therefore, treatment is necessary. Although behavioural therapy for drooling shows promising results, it is generally time- and cost-intensive. For this reason, alternative ways to provide behavioural treatment for chronic drooling need to be explored. In a pair of case studies, the feasibility and potential of an outpatient variant of a behavioural treatment programme for drooling based on self-management strategies was researched with two children with oral motor difficulties. In a three week programme, these children were taught to perform a self-management routine in order to achieve saliva control during regular visits to the child rehabilitation centre. In addition, their parents and teachers were taught to prompt the self-management routine and instructed to provide additional practice at home and at school. In doing so, they were offered support by means of telehealth and personal contact. At the end of the treatment programme, both children showed a significant decrease in drooling severity. Their parents and teachers were satisfied with the treatment effect. Although the present treatment programme showed promising results, further adaptions are necessary to make the treatment programme more widely accessible.