Phonological Disorders in Cleft Palate A cleft

A cleft is a birth defect that occurs when the tissues of the lip and/or palate of a fetus do not properly fuse early in the pregnancy. A cleft palate, in which the roof of the mouth abnormally opens into the floor of the nose, may occur without the simultaneous defect of a cleft lip (Thivierge, 1999). This report will examine phonological disorders associated with cleft palate. A brief description of the problem and its treatment will be presented to establish the nature of the problem.

One of every thirty infants is born with some type of birth defect, with approximately one in 700 having a cleft of the lip and/or palate û the fourth most common birth defect in the United States, with twice as many females as males affected with a cleft palate without a cleft lip. Clefting occurs most often in Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans and least often in people of African descent (Thivierge, 1999).

Infants born with cleft lips or palates experience difficulties in breathing, sucking, swallowing, and later in chewing. A cleft palate also negatively affects a childÆs speech, since the palate is a necessary element in proper speech production or phonation. Treatment is undertaken via reconstructive surgery that closes the palate and returns the lip to its normal position. Orthodontic surgery is often required as well. With reconstructive surgery, orthodontic treatment, and speech therapy for phonological deficits or difficultie

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cial significance (Broen, et al, 1998). Whereas children with cleft palate were once hospitalized for significant periods of time for repair of the palate, hospital stays are now seldom longer than a day or two. Syndromes that accompany cleft palate, including phonological deficits, are recognized earlier and interventions are better targeted to ameliorate symptoms. Nevertheless, the majority of all children born with cleft palate experience phonological deficits that can, untreated or inadequately treated, negatively impact upon their linguistic competence and also significantly limit cognitive development (Broen, et al, 1998). Phonological disorders associated with cleft palate can include articulation disorders that involve the abnormal production of speech sounds or voice disorders in which the absence or abnormal production of voice quality, pitch, resonance, and/or duration are commonplace. Communicative disorders are also associated with cleft palate and are described as impairments in the ability to receive and/or process a symbol system, represent concepts or symbol systems, and/or transmit and use symbol systems (Petinou, Schwartz, Mody, & Gravel, 1999). These phonological and communicative disorders are often accom
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