[Precocity of the means of expression in newborn infants. Aplea for early surgery of the velum palatinum].
It should be stressed not only that every functions are available at an early age but also that there is a critical period during which they should be established and developed. That is obvious for suckling, sight, hearing and for speaking too Newborn infants are capable of gestual expression during the very first days of life and are capable of performing glottal stops at 6 weeks of age and simple posterior articulatory at 3 months of age. At 6 months, the infant will use repetitive simple anterior and posterior articulatory movements. Thus, reparing velum at 3 months and reparing hard palate and lip at 6 months is logical and produce spontaneous good speech. Later the infant will be operated, longer be will keep glottal stops may be incorrigible. Late development of speech and language will trouble their perfect integration.
D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D003142:Communication; D005149:Facial Expression; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
La précocité des moyens d'expression du nouveau-né. Plaidoyer pour la chirurgie précoce du voile du palais.