Maternal Linguistic Measures of Toddlers with Repaired Cleft Palate Following Early Intervention Program

Abstract

Maternal involvement plays an important role in early language intervention for children with repaired cleft lip and palate (RCLP) and aids in the development of speech and language. Research to document the usefulness of the same is limited. The present study attempts to provide an insight on the changes in maternal linguistic output by involving mothers in a parent-implemented early intervention program for toddlers with RCLP. The different maternal measures such as the total number of words, utterances, different words, mean length of utterance were investigated before and after 20 sessions of speech and language therapy. Six toddlers with RCLP and their mothers served as participants for the program. The baseline was established by measuring the parameters mentioned above. Speech and language therapy was given for 20 sessions with mothers as active participants. Mothers were oriented and counseled for speech stimulation. The post-therapy measurement was done after 20 sessions to analyze the linguistic output of the mothers. A nonparametric test was carried out due to the small sample size. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was administered which emphasized that factors such as the total number of words, utterances, and different words showed a statistically significant difference (p≤0.05) between the pretest and posttest measures. The results revealed that the quantity of linguistic stimulation provided to toddlers by the mothers had vastly improved. The results highlight the importance of involving mothers as active participants in the early intervention program. It also illustrates the improvement in the implementation of language stimulation with intensive counseling and training.

Language Screening in Toddlers with Cleft Lips and or Palates: A Pilot Study

“…Pushpavathi et al suggested that mothers' involvement in early language intervention helps in the language development of children with repaired cleft lip and palate. They concluded that home training and stimulation by parents significantly improve the speech and language of children with CLP [36]. Some investigators reported that children with cleft lip and palate show poor cognitive-linguistic and learning abilities than normal children [37].…”

Language Sample Analysis in Children With Cleft Lip and Palate

“…Previous studies concluded that language deficits are related to phonological disorders [18], compensatory articulation [19], parent interaction, and stimulation [20]. Thus, speech and language pathologists should evaluate speech and language development in children with cra-…”