title: Parental perceptions of grommet insertion in children with cleft palate.
abstract: Otitis media with effusion is almost universal in children with cleft palate and can delay speech, language and educational development by causing hearing loss. Grommet insertion at the time of cleft palate repair is common. There is debate about whether the benefits of grommets outweigh the risk of complications. A postal questionnaire was used to investigate parental perceptions of middle-ear ventilation via grommet insertion in children attending the multidisciplinary cleft palate clinic. These children's case notes were reviewed. Many children had speech and language delay, but parents thought this improved after grommet insertion. Overall parents were pleased with the results. This confirms that grommets have an important part to play in the management of children with cleft palate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Greig
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Papesch
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rowsell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome