Five-year speech and language outcomes in children with cleft lip-palate.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate 5-year speech and language outcomes in children with cleft lip/palate (CLP).


METHODS
Thirty-eight children aged 4-7 years and 8 months were recruited for this study. Speech abilities including articulation, resonance, voice, and intelligibility were assessed based on Thai Universal Parameters of Speech Outcomes. Language ability was assessed by the Language Screening Test.


RESULTS
The findings revealed that children with clefts had speech and language delay, abnormal understandability, resonance abnormality, and voice disturbance; articulation defects that were 8.33 (1.75, 22.47), 50.00 (32.92, 67.08), 36.11 (20.82, 53.78), 30.56 (16.35, 48.11), and 94.44 (81.34, 99.32).


CONCLUSIONS
Articulation errors were the most common speech and language defects in children with clefts, followed by abnormal understandability, resonance abnormality, and voice disturbance. These results should be of critical concern. Protocol reviewing and early intervention programs are needed for improved speech outcomes.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. Electronic address: bprathanee@gmail.com.
Benjamas
B
Prathanee
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. Electronic address: matodabovvy@gmail.com.
Tawitree
T
Pumnum
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. Electronic address: cholajung@hotmail.com.
Cholada
C
Seepuaham
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. Electronic address: ccaarree@hotmail.com.
Pechcharat
P
Jaiyong
D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology
Cleft palate; Language; Pre-school; Resonance; Speech outcome