Language development in preschoolers with cleft

Abstract

Sixty‐five children with cleft lip and/or palate, ages 4, 5, and 6, were examined on several measures of language and memory development. No consistent sex or cleft‐type differences were noted; thus the group was compared, as a whole, to normative standards. The cleft group showed average abilities on measures of vocabulary definition, verbal analogies, and auditory memory span. However, the group showed significant delays on picture categorization and visual and intersensory memory measures. These measures appear to require verbal mediation. Therefore, children with clefts appear to have a delay in a specific type of language development, rather than generalized language delays.