Hearing Sensitivity of Adults with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

Abstract

This study is designed to investigate the hearing sensitivity of aduhs with repaired clefts of the lip and/orpalate or congenital velopharyngeal inadequacy (VPI). Hearing sensitivity was analyzed with respect to pure tone air conduction thresholds and the extent of air-bone gap. In addition to age, type ofcleft and type ofp/zysical management of the palate were taken into account. The results of the study indicated that the thresholds of individuals with clefts of the palate or VPI are higher (poorer) than those with clefts of the lip only, but the mean thresholds for the better ears for all three groups approximate what has been frequently considered normal limits (25 dB or better). When the poorer ears were considered, several of the mean thresholds of the groups with clefts of the palate or VPI exceeded normal limits. There were no significant differences in thresholds among the four types of palatal clefts or among the types of physical management of the palates. Research has demonstrated that the inci— dence of hearing loss is significantly higher in individuals with cleft palate than in the non-cleft population. (Gaines