Normative nasalance scores in Tamil-speaking Indian children

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to obtain normative nasalance scores for Indian Tamil-speaking children.

Methods

Mean nasalance scores were obtained from 175 consecutive Tamil-speaking normal children (95 males, 80 females) aged 5–16 years during the repetition of six standardized sentences: two oral, two oronasal, and two nasal sentences. The nasal view was used to obtain nasalance scores for the standardized sentences

Results

Group mean and standard deviation (SD) nasalance scores of children for oral, oronasal, and nasal sentence were 35.65(SD 7.20), 44.42(SD 7.37), and 57.21(SD 8.15), respectively. The mean nasalance values of children aged 9–12 years were greater than children aged 5–8 years and 13–16 years for nasal sentences (p < .001). Males were found to have significantly higher nasalance scores for oral and oronasal sentences (p < .05) although these differences were within the range of normal variation.

Conclusions

The present study provides normative nasalance scores for Tamil-speaking Indian children.

Keywords:

• Normative scores
• nasalance
• Tamil
• Indian children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Apar Pokharel

Dr. Apar Pokharel was a clinical fellow in pediatric ENT, Christian Medical College, Vellore as the time of study , is currently Assistant Professor at Department of ENT, College of Medical Sciences, Chitwan, Nepal.

P. Naina

Dr. P. Naina is currently Professor of ENT, Christian Medical College, Vellore with special interest in pediatric speech and swallowing disorders. Her research focuses on pediatric nasal problems.

Swapna Sebastain

Swapna Sebastian is professor of Speech and Hearing Science Her research focuses on language disorders in children and adults as well as voice and acoustic aspects of pathological conditions.

Kamran Asif Syed

Dr. Kamran Asif Syed is Assistant Professor in Christian Medical College with special interest in pediatric airway problems.

Mary John

Dr. Mary John is Professor in Christian Medical College with special interest in pediatric hearing problems.

Ajoy Mathew Varghese

Dr. Ajoy Mathew Varghese is head of the department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore India. He subspecialty interest is pediatric ENT and current research interests are in pediatric airway and voice disorders.