A retrospective analysis of factors affecting speech production in school-aged children with cleft palate (+- cleft lip)

Objective

The present investigation examined how factors such as cleft type, age of primary palatal surgery, diagnosed syndromes, hearing problems, and malocclusions could predict persistent speech difficulties and the need for speech services in school-aged children with cleft palate.

Methods

Participants included 100 school-aged children with cleft palate. Americleft speech protocol was used to assess the perceptual aspects of speech production. The logistic regression was performed to evaluate the impact of independent variables (IV) on the dependent variables (DV): intelligibility, posterior oral CSCs, audible nasal emission, hypernasality, anterior oral CSCs, and speech therapy required.

Results

Sixty-five percent of the children were enrolled in (or had received) speech therapy. The logistic regression model shows a good fit to the data for the need for speech therapy (Hosmer and Lemeshow's ${\chi }^2\left(8\right)=9.647,p=.291$). No IVs were found to have a significant impact on the need for speech therapy. A diagnosed syndrome was associated with poorer intelligibility (Pulkstenis-Robinson's ${\chi }^2\left(11\right)=7.120,p=.789$). Children with diagnosed syndromes have about six times the odds of a higher hypernasality rating (Odds Ratio = 5.703) than others. The cleft type was significantly associated with audible nasal emission ($\text{Fisher}’s\text{exact}p=.006$). At the same time, malocclusion had a significant association with anterior oral CSCs ($\text{Fisher}’s\text{exact}p=.005$).

Conclusions

According to the latest data in the Cleft Registry and Audit Network Annual Report for the UK, the majority of children with cleft palate attain typical speech by age five. However, it is crucial to delve into the factors that may influence the continuation of speech disorders beyond this age. This understanding is vital for formulating intervention strategies aimed at mitigating the long-term effects of speech disorders as individuals grow older.