Abstract
Background/Objective: Central facial palsy is common following stroke. Although spontaneous alleviation is seen among some individuals, there are still a large proportion who suffer long-lasting consequences. The objective of this study was to investigate the current practice for assessment and training of individuals with central facial palsy in Denmark and thus shed light on potential focus areas for research.
Methods: A national survey among Danish occupational therapists, who according to Danish practice, are responsible for management of central facial palsy. The survey was distributed to members of two professional nation-wide societies.
Results: A total of 211 occupational therapists who worked with central facial palsy completed the survey. The median age was 45, and 52% had >15 years of experience. A total of 59% worked in the municipalities, 37% worked in public hospitals, and 4% worked in private practice. In assessment of central facial palsy, 86% used Facial Oral Tract Therapy, 46% used subjective evaluations concomitantly, while the House-Brackmann and Sunnybrook scales were rarely used. The most common training methods were mimical exercises, which was used by 88% of responders, while neuromuscular electrical stimulation and Kinesio taping were used by 57% and 55% respectively.
Conclusion: Findings showed that current practice for management of central facial palsy lack validated scales, with possibilities for tracking progress. Furthermore, training methods lack scientific evidence, which is a warranted focus area for research. Results are likely generalizable to other countries, since the lack of validated assessment tools and evidence-based training protocols are a global concern.