Assessment of Speech in Children After Repair of Isolated Cleft Palate

Abstract

The speech of 31 consecutive patients with isolated cleft palate was evaluated when they were between 10 and 14 years of age. All the children had Wardill-Kilner push-back repairs at a mean age of 7.9 months. Several speech variables were assessed by two trained listeners. In addition, an overall evaluation of the quality of the patients' speech was made by the listeners and by the patients themselves. The patients had some remaining speech problems, mainly hypernasality which was moderate or severe in 7 (23%). The prevalence of compensatory articulations was low. however (n = 4, 13%), and most patients thought that their own speech was normal or relatively normal.

Key words:

• cleft palate
• speech
• cleft extension
• push-back repair
• Wardill-Kilner method