Could speech disorders in children with cleft lip and palate be justified by impaired central auditory skills?

ABSTRACT Purpose: to verify the association between central auditory skills and speech disorders related to velopharyngeal dysfunction. Methods: forty-five children, with repaired non-syndromic cleft lip and palate or cleft lip only, aged 7-11 years old, were divided into three groups: G1 (n=15), children with hypernasality, nasal air emission, and compensatory articulations; G2 (n=15), children with hypernasality and nasal air emission, but without compensatory articulations; and G3 (n=15), children without hypernasality, nasal air emission, and compensatory articulations. The medical records of all participants were analyzed to verify the eligibility criteria and obtain speech assessments, and then, they were submitted to an assessment of central auditory skills. Statistical analysis comprised descriptive and chi-square test with a significance level of 5%. Results: G1 presented a higher occurrence of impairment in central auditory skills differing from the other groups, particularly in the temporal ordering and binaural integration skills. A significant difference was observed among groups in temporal ordering ability. No significant association was found between the use of specific types of compensatory articulations and impaired auditory skills. Conclusion: there was an association between changes in temporal ordering auditory skills and binaural integration in children with velopharyngeal dysfunction, regardless of the presence or type of compensatory articulation found.

### 摘要
#### 目的
验证中枢听觉技能（central auditory skills）与腭咽功能障碍（velopharyngeal dysfunction）相关言语障碍之间的关联。
#### 方法
选取45名年龄7~11岁、已完成修复手术的非综合征性唇腭裂或单纯唇裂患儿，将其分为三组：G1组（n=15）：存在鼻音过重、鼻腔漏气及代偿性构音的患儿；G2组（n=15）：存在鼻音过重与鼻腔漏气，但无代偿性构音的患儿；G3组（n=15）：无鼻音过重、鼻腔漏气及代偿性构音的患儿。收集所有受试者的病历以确认其符合入组标准并获取言语评估结果，随后对其开展中枢听觉技能评估。统计分析包含描述性分析与卡方检验，显著性水平设定为5%。
#### 结果
G1组中枢听觉技能受损的发生率高于其余两组，尤其在时间顺序知觉与双耳整合技能方面。三组在时间顺序知觉能力上存在显著差异。未发现特定类型代偿性构音的使用与听觉技能受损之间存在显著关联。
#### 结论
腭咽功能障碍患儿的时间顺序听觉技能与双耳整合功能异常存在关联，且该关联不受代偿性构音的存在与否及类型影响。