The influence of the age at which the palate is closed on speech in the adult cleft patient.
A follow-up study was done on adult cleft patients with a total unilateral cleft with regard to the influence of the time of closure of the palate on speech. It was established that postponement of surgery of the palate from 3 to 6 years did not influence the ultimate result in respect of speech. One of the interesting findings was that in those patients who were operated on at the age of 3 there were more compensations than in those patients who were operated on at the age of 6. Pharyngoplasty did produce a satisfactory obturation between nasopharynx and the oral cavity in both age groups, but the ultimate quality of speech was clearly inferior to those patients who were not subjected to pharyngoplasty.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology