[Vocal efficiency parameters in children and adolescents: effect of physical development and singing activity]. / Stimmleistungsparameter bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Einfluss der körperlichen Entwicklung und der sängerischen Aktivität.

The influence of physical development and singing activity on vocal efficiency in children and adolescents is well known from clinical experience. There is, however, no comparative study between singing and non-singing children which also considers the influence of age and gender. Therefore, standard values for evaluation in clinical practice are missing. We examined the following parameters in 164 healthy children and adolescents (90 boys, 74 girls; 11-16 years), 86 without singing activity (group A) and 78 members of children's and youth choirs (group B): frequency and dynamic range of voice and its borders with a voice range profile, mean fundamental frequency (normal and loud phonation), maximum voice intensity, and maximum duration of intonation. The statistical analysis was performed using three-way ANOVA. We found significantly higher ranges of frequency and intensity in singing children and adolescents (p<0.0001). The borders of the dynamic range and the upper border of the frequency range were significantly higher in group B (p<0.0001). The boys in group B used a higher mean fundamental frequency during loud phonation. There were no significant differences between groups in maximum voice intensity (p=0.051) but a tendency towards higher values in singing children. As an unexpected result, we found significantly higher values in maximum duration of intonation in group A (p<0.0001) independent of age and gender, which seems to be related to the methods used. Regular training of the singing voice results in positive effects on several voice parameters in children as well as adolescents. Our results can be used for estimating standard values in professional clinical and educational care of young singing voices and non-singing children. For this purpose, voice range profile is particularly suitable.

Playing games in promoting childhood dental health.

Oral health behaviour is a result of a life-long learning process, this process can best be achieved by an interdisciplinary collaboration among dentists and professionals in other areas, e.g. psychologists, teachers and kindergarten teachers. The basis of our research is a childhood dental health promotion programme which consists of a tool of games for children in the age of 3-5 years. After development by an interdisciplinary research group, the effectiveness of this teaching and behaviour modification technique should be proved. This study describes a controlled field study, in which two forms of game play activities were compared to a control groups. The results showed that the use of games and shows aimed at a child's developmental level can be more efficacious than the presentation of didactic information alone.

[Recommendations for an age-corresponding design of a toothbrush for infants and younger preschool children]. / Altersegerecht Gestaltung des Zahnbürstengriffes für Kleinkinder und jüngere Vorschulkinder.

The design of the tooth brush handle has a great importance for learning of effective oral hygienic measures in children. The present paper is a contribution for development of an age-corresponding tooth brush handle considering the anatomical and motorial suppositions of the childlike hand.

[The use of modern documentation methods in dental offices, an analysis of the literature]. / Die Anwendung moderner Dokumentationsmethoden in der stomatologischen Ambulanz - ein Literaturanalyse

The aim of the present paper was to assess, on the basis of an analysis of the relevant modern, national and international literature as available in the GDR, the present state of the introduction of data processing to stomatology and to deduce recommendations for further lines of work.