Habilitation of Patients with Clefts: Parent and Child Ratings of Satisfaction with Appearance and Speech

1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary L. Broder ◽  
Fraser B. Smith ◽  
Ronald P. Strauss

This study examined ratings regarding satisfaction with facial appearance and speech performance from 495 parent-child pairs. Data were obtained from school-aged children (5–18 years old) and their parents using standardized independent interviews. Results revealed that 54 percent of the children with cleft lip (CL) or cleft lip and palate (CLP) were very pleased with their appearance, and 62 percent of the cleft palate or CLP subjects were very pleased with speech. Low, but statistically significant correlations exist between the female subjects and their parents in satisfaction with appearance. Although older cleft lip and/or palate patients reported increased satisfaction with speech, no age differences in patient satisfaction with appearance were observed in subjects with CL/CLP. Parents of females expressed more concern about their daughters' appearance than parents of males, while parents of males were more concerned about speech. Implications for craniofacial habilitation teams and research suggestions are discussed.

2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Prahl ◽  
Birte Prahl-Andersen ◽  
Martin A. van't Hof ◽  
Anne M. Kuijpers-Jagtman

Objective: To study the effect of infant orthopedics on facial appearance. Design: Prospective two-arm randomized controlled trial in parallel with three participating academic cleft palate centers. Treatment allocation was concealed and performed by means of a computerized balanced allocation method. Setting: Cleft Palate Centers of Amsterdam, Nijmegen, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Patients: Infants with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate, no other malformations. Interventions: One group (IO+) wore passive maxillary plates during the first year, the other group (IO−) did not. Main Outcome Measure(s): Two metrical response modalities were used (i.e., visual analog scales and reference scores) to score facial appearance. Full face and cropped photographs were compared with reference photographs and were judged. The photographs were judged by 45 judges, 24 laypeople, and 21 professionals. Transformation of the scores into z scores was applied to compare and to pool both response modalities. The validity of each individual judge was evaluated, as was the reliability of the scales. Differences between the treatment groups were evaluated by means of t tests. Results: Photographs were available of 41 subjects, 21 with and 20 without infant orthopedics. No significant differences were found between groups. Mean z-score values for the full-face photographs were: group IO+ = 0.10 (SD = 0.73) and group IO− = −0.03 (SD = 0.48); for the cropped photographs were: group IO+ = 0.12 (SD = 0.71) and group IO− = −0.06 (SD = 0.55). Conclusions: Infant orthopedics have no effect on facial appearance.


2001 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Millard ◽  
Lynn C. Richman

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to study the adjustment and learning characteristics of children with different types of clefts. The hypotheses were that there may be different relationships among cleft variables (speech and appearance) according to the cleft types. Design The study compared three cleft groups on behavior rating, anxiety scales, depression scales, and self-perception (analyses of variance) and examined the influence of facial and speech ratings on self-perception (multiple regression analyses). Setting All patients were treated at a university hospital cleft palate clinic. Patients Sixty-five children aged 8 years to 17 years were selected based on nonsyndromic cleft (unilateral cleft lip and palate [ULP], bilateral cleft lip and palate [BLP], and cleft palate only [CPO]) and no significant neurological condition or hearing loss. Results The findings indicated children with CPO showed greater problems with parent- and teacher-reported depression, anxiety, and learning related to speech than children with ULP or BLP. The later two groups showed fewer problems and a greater relationship of problem to facial appearance. The children with ULP self-reported lower levels of depression than the other two groups. Conclusions Children with cleft show relatively good overall adjustment, but some problems appear related to speech and facial appearance. Subgroups may need to be studied separately.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph H. Noar

This study Investigated the opinions of three of the professional groups who treat cleft lip and palate patients in the United Kingdom. Plastic surgeons, orthodontists, and speech therapists were asked to give their opinions regarding adolescents with a unilateral cleft of the lip and palate. A mail questionnaire investigating four main areas: treatment, facial appearance and speech, social and emotional aspects, and the perceived success of the specialists was sent to each subject. Nearly all the subjects reported that they worked as part of a cleft palate team and there was good agreement among the three groups. Although the professionals felt that they have been successful, they were not satisfied with the results of their treatment nor with the patients’ overall facial appearance or speech. They also felt that the patients are emotionally and socially affected by their cleft and are teased. The subjects noted that they think patients feel similarly to themselves on all aspects. The significance of the results is discussed.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodger M. Dalston ◽  
Donald W. Warren ◽  
Eileen T. Dalston

The relationship between nasal airway size and articulatory performance was studied in a group of cleft palate patients. Articulation analysis revealed that children with bilateral cleft lip and palate were nearly twice as likely to manifest compensatory articulations as children with unilateral cleft lip and palate or with cleft palate only. When subjects were grouped according to speech performance, aerodynamic assessment indicated that children with compensatory articulations had significantly larger nasal cross-sectional areas than children without compensatory articulations. The findings suggest that children with comparatively large nasal airways may be at increased risk for developing abnormal speech patterns. If these findings are confirmed by further research, such children may be candidates for relatively early palate repair.


2020 ◽  
pp. 105566562098024
Author(s):  
Kim Bettens ◽  
Laura Bruneel ◽  
Cassandra Alighieri ◽  
Daniel Sseremba ◽  
Duncan Musasizib ◽  
...  

Objective: To provide speech outcomes of English-speaking Ugandan patients with a cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP±L). Design: Prospective case–control study. Setting: Referral hospital for patients with cleft lip and palate in Uganda. Participants: Twenty-four English-speaking Ugandan children with a CP±L (15 boys, 9 girls, mean 8.4 years) who received palatal closure prior to 6 months of age and an age- and gender-matched control group of Ugandan children without cleft palate. Interventions: Comparison of speech outcomes of the patient and control group. Main Outcome Measures: Perceptual speech outcomes including articulation, resonance, speech understandability and acceptability, and velopharyngeal composite score (VPC-sum). Information regarding speech therapy, fistula rate, and secondary surgery. Results: Normal speech understandability was observed in 42% of the patients, and 38% were judged with normal speech acceptability. Only 16% showed compensatory articulation. Acceptable resonance was found in 71%, and 75% of the patients were judged perceptually to present with competent velopharyngeal function based on the VPC-sum. Additional speech intervention was recommended in 25% of the patients. Statistically significant differences for all these variables were still observed with the control children ( P < .05). Conclusions: Overall, acceptable speech outcomes were found after early primary palatal closure. Comparable or even better results were found in comparison with international benchmarks, especially regarding the presence of compensatory articulation. Whether this approach is transferable to Western countries is the subject for further research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Klintö ◽  
Maria Sporre ◽  
Magnus Becker

Abstract Background When evaluating speech in children with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP/L), children with known syndromes and/or additional malformations (CP/L+) are usually excluded. The aim of this study was to present speech outcome of a consecutive series of 5-year-olds born with CP/L, and to compare speech results of children with CP/L + and children with CP/L without known syndromes and/or additional malformations (CP/L-). Methods One hundred 5-year-olds (20 with CP/L+; 80 with CP/L-) participated. All children were treated with primary palatal surgery in one stage with the same procedure for muscle reconstruction. Three independent judges performed phonetic transcriptions and rated perceived velopharyngeal competence from audio recordings. Based on phonetic transcriptions, percent consonants correct (PCC) and percent non-oral errors were investigated. Group comparisons were performed. Results In the total group, mean PCC was 88.2 and mean percent non-oral errors 1.5. The group with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) had poorer results on both measures compared to groups with other cleft types. The average results of PCC and percent non-oral errors in the CP/L + group indicated somewhat poorer speech, but no significant differences were observed. In the CP/L + group, 25 % were judged as having incompetent velopharyngeal competence, compared to 15 % in the CP/L- group. Conclusions The results indicated relatively good speech compared to speech of children with CP/L in previous studies. Speech was poorer in many children with more extensive clefts. No significant differences in speech outcomes were observed between CP/L + and CP/L- groups.


2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose G. Christiano ◽  
Amir H. Dorafshar ◽  
Eduardo D. Rodriguez ◽  
Richard J. Redett

A 6-year-old girl presented with a large recalcitrant oronasal fistula after bilateral cleft lip and palate repair and numerous secondary attempts at fistula closure. Incomplete palmar arches precluded a free radial forearm flap. A free vastus lateralis muscle flap was successfully transferred. No fistula recurrence was observed at 18 months. There was no perceived thigh weakness. The surgical scar healed inconspicuously. Free flaps should no longer be considered the last resort for treatment of recalcitrant fistulas after cleft palate repair. A free vastus lateralis muscle flap is an excellent alternative, and possibly a superior option, to other previously described free flaps.


1992 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Bardach ◽  
Hughlett L. Morris ◽  
William H. Olin ◽  
Steven D. Gray ◽  
David L. Jones ◽  
...  

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