Abstract
Introduction: In those with cleft palate, it is well known that velopharyngeal function and the form of the palate affect the onset of articulation disorders. However, some patients with cleft palate develop misarticulation, while others do not, regardless of the severity of velopharyngeal incompetence and morphological defect of the palate. These findings suggest that some factors besides velopharyngeal function and the palatal form affect the onset of articulation disorders. It has been reported that some individuals without cleft palate develop articulation disorders if they have impaired motor coordination, but for those with cleft palate, there are no reports about the relationship between the onset of misarticulation and coordinated motion. The purpose of this study was to clarify this relationship in speakers with cleft palate.
Subjects and methods: Sixty-one individuals with operated cleft palate, who visited Osaka University Dental Hospital to be followed up or receive speech therapy from November 2011 to April 2012, were enrolled as subjects. The parents of these subjects were asked to complete the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). The subjects were divided into two groups based on whether they had articulation disorders or not, and we subsequently compared the DCDQ score (including the three subdivision factors: Control during Movement, Fine Motor and Handwriting, and General Coordination) between these two groups.
Results: As for the total DCDQ score, in the group without misarticulation, 7 subjects showed a score under the standard value and the other 25 demonstrated a score equal to or higher than it. On the other hand, in the group with misarticulation, 14 subjects showed a score under the standard value and the other 15 demonstrated a score equal to or higher than it. There was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to the subdivision factors of Control during Movement and Fine Motor and Handwriting. As for the subdivision factor of General Coordination, in the group without misarticulation, 5 subjects showed a score under the standard value and the other 27 demonstrated a score equal to or higher than it. On the other hand, in the group with misarticulation, 13 subjects showed a score under the standard value and the other 16 demonstrated a score equal to or higher than it. There was a significant difference between the two groups in this regard (p<0.05).
Conclusions: These results suggest that not only local factors related to articulation, including velopharyngeal function and the form of the palate, but also impaired motor coordination cause the onset of articulation disorders in those with cleft palate.
