Structural and functional causes of hypernasality in velocardiofacial syndrome. A pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Hypernasality in velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) is more severe, persistent, and difficult to manage compared to other populations with cleft palate or velopharyngeal (VP) dysfunction. This pilot study investigated why children with VCFS have more severe hypernasality.


METHODS
Pressure-flow methodology indirectly measured VP orifice size and VP closure timing during speech in a group of 5 children with VCFS, 5 children with cleft palate, and 6 normal children.


RESULTS
Children with VCFS demonstrated significant differences in VP closure timing and hypernasality. There were no significant group differences in VP orifice size. Duration of nasal airflow was the strongest predictor of judgments of hypernasality.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides preliminary evidence that VP closure timing may account for the more severe hypernasality in children with VCFS, compared to structural factors alone.
Baylis
Adriane L
AL
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. abaylis@chw.org
Watson
Peter J
PJ
Moller
Karlind T
KT
D000399:Air Pressure; D002648:Child; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004062:DiGeorge Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009666:Nose / Q000503:physiopathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013060:Speech; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014160:Transducers, Pressure; D055158:Velopharyngeal Sphincter / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*