A meta-analysis of the relationship between speech and language development in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip

Children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip are at risk of speech production and language delays. In typical development, a strong relationship exists between speech and expressive language development. However, the understanding of this relationship in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip is incomplete. The objective of this study was to determine the average correlation between consonant inventory and two expressive language skills in children with NSCP ± L. The study used a random effects meta-analyses design. Articles were included by searching PubMed, APA PsycINFO, and ERIC. Correlations between consonant inventory and (1) expressive vocabulary and (2) mean length of utterance. Based on eight studies representing 187 children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip, consonant inventory was positively correlated with expressive vocabulary size (k = 8, z = 0.74, SE = .16, p k = 4, z = 0.513, SE = 0.293, p = .081, [−0.063, 1.088]). Results support a connection between consonant inventory and expressive vocabulary size in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip across four languages. Small consonant inventories are often associated with expressive language delays.