The "Sniffin' Kids" test--a 14-item odor identification test for children

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 30;9(6):e101086. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101086. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Tools for measuring olfactory function in adults have been well established. Although studies have shown that olfactory impairment in children may occur as a consequence of a number of diseases or head trauma, until today no consensus on how to evaluate the sense of smell in children exists in Europe. Aim of the study was to develop a modified "Sniffin' Sticks" odor identification test, the "Sniffin' Kids" test for the use in children. In this study 537 children between 6-17 years of age were included. Fourteen odors, which were identified at a high rate by children, were selected from the "Sniffin' Sticks" 16-item odor identification test. Normative date for the 14-item "Sniffin' Kids" odor identification test was obtained. The test was validated by including a group of congenital anosmic children. Results show that the "Sniffin' Kids" test is able to discriminate between normosmia and anosmia with a cutoff value of >7 points on the odor identification test. In addition the test-retest reliability was investigated in a group of 31 healthy children and shown to be ρ = 0.44. With the 14-item odor identification "Sniffin' Kids" test we present a valid and reliable test for measuring olfactory function in children between ages 6-17 years.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Distribution
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Olfaction Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Olfaction Disorders / physiopathology
  • Reproducibility of Results

Grants and funding

This study received no external support. Internal funding was provided by the department of otolaryngology, TU Dresden. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.