Spectral analysis of prespeech sounds (spontaneous cries) in infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP): a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of the present study were: (1) to analyze the cry features of infants with cleft lip and palate (UCLP) by means of spectral analysis, (2) to describe changes of the acoustic parameters from birth until 9 months of age, and (3) to compare these data with existing cry data of infants without cleft (control group).


METHODS
The study was designed on a interdisciplinary, prospective, and longitudinal basis.


METHODS
Interdisciplinary study: (1) Institute of Anthropology at the Humboldt-University, Berlin; (2) Heidelberg University Hospital: Interdisciplinary Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center.


METHODS
The cry parameters of five patients with complete unilateral cleft lip, alveolar ridge, and hard and soft palate were analyzed from birth to 9 months of age. The patients were treated with the same protocol. At the age of 24 months, sensomotor development was assessed using the KIPHARD test. Perceptual judgment of speech, performed after 36 months of life, included nasal resonance, nasal emission of air, articulation disorders, and speech intelligibility.


METHODS
The cry parameters of fundamental frequency (F(0)), pitch period perturbation quotient (PPQ), and cry duration (Tsam) were analyzed.


RESULTS
Contrary to the expectation that laryngeal parameters are not affected by vocal tract malformations, differences of cry parameters were found between the patients with UCLP and the non-cleft group. Particularly, the F(0) and its short-time variability (PPQ) were affected.


CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary results of this study showed that F(0) and PPQ of spontaneous cries are influenced in patients with UCLP, and a cry analysis might become a noninvasive tool for early detection of an at-risk status for neuromuscular development and prediction of an at-risk status for later speech and language acquisition in infants with cleft lip and palate. Future research strategies are outlined.
Wermke
Kathleen
K
Institute of Anthropology of the Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany.
Hauser
Christine
C
Komposch
Gerda
G
Stellzig
Angelika
A
D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003448:Crying / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007804:Language Development; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000503:physiopathology; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000503:physiopathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology