Objectives

To investigate the impact of hearing loss (using longitudinal measurements of hearing) on speech outcomes at age 5 (5 years 0 months–5 years 11 months) in children born with cleft palate ± lip. Other variables which may impact upon the speech outcomes at age 5 in this population were also investigated.

Methods

A retrospective longitudinal cohort study of children, without a named syndrome, born with cleft palate ± lip, and treated at a Cleft Centre in the United Kingdom. Data collected from infancy to 5 years 11 months, included hearing test results from three specific time points (7 months–1 year 2 months [age A]; 2 years 0 months–2 years 11 months [age B]; 5 years 0 months–5 years 11 months [age C]) and speech outcome data at age 5 years (5 years 0 months–5 years 11 months). Hearing test results at each age were compared to identify how hearing changes with age. Correlations between hearing test results and speech outcomes at age 5 were analysed.

Results

Hearing loss was frequent but predominantly mild. There were no significant correlations between speech outcomes and hearing results at any age. Mild hearing loss remained prevalent at age 5, although a significant age-related hearing improvement was found. A significant relationship between cleft type and cleft speech characteristics was found (P < .001); children with Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate achieved the poorest articulation outcomes.

Conclusion

Although mild hearing loss was common in the cohort, there was no association between hearing loss and the speech outcomes investigated. In contrast, the type of cleft was significantly associated with the presence of cleft speech characteristics. Further longitudinal measurement of hearing is required to substantiate the findings of this study.

中文翻译：

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听力损失对 5 岁唇腭裂儿童言语结果的影响：一项纵向队列研究

目标

研究听力损失（使用纵向听力测量）对出生时患有腭裂±唇裂的儿童 5 岁（5 岁 0 个月至 5 岁 11 个月）言语结果的影响。还调查了可能影响该人群 5 岁时言语结果的其他变量。

方法

一项回顾性纵向队列研究，没有命名综合征，出生时患有腭裂 - 唇裂，并在英国的裂隙中心接受治疗。从婴儿到 5 岁 11 个月收集的数据，包括三个特定时间点的听力测试结果（7 个月-1 岁 2 个月 [年龄 A]；2 岁 0 个月-2 岁 11 个月 [年龄 B]；5 岁 0 个月） –5 岁 11 个月 [年龄 C]）和 5 岁（5 岁 0 个月至 5 岁 11 个月）时的言语结果数据。比较每个年龄段的听力测试结果，以确定听力如何随年龄变化。分析了 5 岁时听力测试结果与言语结果之间的相关性。

结果

听力损失很常见，但主要是轻微的。任何年龄的言语结果和听力结果之间都没有显着相关性。尽管发现与年龄相关的听力显着改善，但在 5 岁时仍普遍存在轻度听力损失。发现裂隙类型和裂隙语音特征之间存在显着关系（P < .001）；双侧唇腭裂儿童的发音效果最差。

结论

尽管该队列中轻度听力损失很常见，但听力损失与所调查的言语结果之间没有关联。相比之下，裂隙的类型与裂隙语音特征的存在显着相关。需要进一步纵向测量听力以证实本研究的结果。