Behavioural management and parental acceptance and attitude towards different behaviour management techniques (BMTs) used in Paediatric Dental Care for children with hearing and visual disabilities—a pilot study

Background: Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of behavior management techniques (BMTs) or behavior guidance in dentistry, there remains a significant research gap regarding the optimal strategies for effectively managing behavior and enhancing treatment outcomes in disabled special children. The objectives of this study were to explore the various behavior management techniques used in children with disabilities and to evaluate their parental acceptance and attitude towards these interventions used during dental treatment. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, pediatric patients with hearing and visual disabilities and their parents were recruited from the Dental Hospital. The Specialist Pediatric dentist screened and planned the treatment of each patient and chose the BMTs for them after taking into consideration their age, medical condition, treatment needs and cooperation level. Parents were asked to view a brief video illustrating various BMTs and subsequently complete a validated questionnaire consisting of three parts: sociodemographic information, acceptance of BMTs, and expectations regarding their efficacy. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were employed for data analysis. Results: In this study, 73 children with visual or hearing impairment and their parents participated. The most approved technique was Distraction (82.2%) and the least favored technique was Hand over Mouth (4.1%). Visually impaired children showed a lower likelihood of preferring Tell Show Do, Nonverbal Communication and Distraction (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.54; OR: 0.015; OR: 0.17, respectively) compared to hearing-impaired children. Most parents (87.7%) believed in the importance of applying various behavior guidance techniques, and the majority (95.9%) emphasized the necessity of obtaining informed consent from the child’s parent before employing any behavioral techniques. Conculsions: The preferred behavioral management techniques for children with visual or hearing impairment diverge slightly from those for typically developing children, with Distraction, positive reinforcement and nitrous oxide sedation emerging as the favored methods.