Misarticulations of Cleft Palate Children Achieving Velopharyngeal Closure and Children with Functional Speech Problems

Abstract

Children with cleft palate who have acquired an adequate velopharyn-geal mechanism after physical management may still exhibit speech problems. These problems may be related to any of several factors, including the effects of formerly-inadequate velopharyngeal closure, inadequate dentition, and faulty learning of the speech sounds. The misarticulations of children with 'functional' articulation disorders are frequently assumed to be the result of faulty learning (2). To the extent, then, that the articu— lation errors of children with clefts who achieve velopharyngeal closure are due to faulty learning of the speech sounds, one might expect that: a) the two groups of children would exhibit, at least in part, similar types of articulation errors, and that b) judges would have difficulty discriminating between the children with clefts and the children with functional articulation disorders on the basis of their articulation and nasal voice quality. Similarity in the speech problems of these two groups of children would have important implications for further physical and therapeutic manage— ment of the child with a cleft. On the other hand, if differences can be demonstrated between the speech patterns of these groups, it is important to examine those factors which may account for the differences. The present study was designed to investigate the following questions. a) Do children with functional articulation disorders and children with cleft palates who have adequate velopharyngeal closure show differences in the number and type of misarticulations? b) Do these groups differ with regard to judges' ratings of severity of articulation defectiveness and severity of nasal voice quality? 0) Are judges able to identify the type of speech problem represented by a sample of connected speech?