Relationships Among Intelligence, Speech Proficiency, and Hearing Sensitivity in Children with Cleft Palates

Abstract

The notion that children with cleft lip and/or palate also have some degree of intellectual impairment has been investigated by several researchers. In a recent article, Goodstein (6) reviewed seven studies dealing with the intelligence of cleft palate children (2, 5, 8, .9, 13, 16', 1.9). From the results of these studies he concluded that cleft palate children show a mild-to—moderate degree of intellectual impairment and that this impairment is greater in the verbal than in the performance area. In addition, studies by Morris (12) and Corrie and associates (4), using the VVechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, also support these general conclusions. Phipps (14) also reviewed studies concerned with the intel— ligence of children with cleft lip and palate (3, 5, 8, 9, 18). Phipps noted that the results of these studies showed that cleft palate children show an impairment of from 2 to 11 points on tests which stress verbal skills, but emphasized that their mean IQ is within the normal range of intellectual functioning. There are several possible explanations for the impairment. The deficit could be developmental. The deficit could result from a lack of stimula— tion in the home because of parental attitudes of rejection or over— protection. Another possible explanation is that the communication prob— lems of cleft palate individuals, in the areas of both speech and hearing, interfere with the development of intellectual skills which are assessed by intelligence tests. _ For example, there is ample evidence that cleft palate children show a speech impairment when compared to noncleft palate children (10). There is, however, not very much evidence relating speech skills and intelligence for cleft palate children. Morris (