High and Low Intensity Speech Intervention in Children With a Cleft Palate: Perceptions of Children, Their Caregivers and Speech-language Pathologists

Launched by UNIVERSITY GHENT · Mar 25, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective different levels of speech therapy—high-intensity and low-intensity—are for children with cleft palates. A cleft palate is a common condition where there is an opening in the roof of the mouth, which can affect speech and social interactions. The researchers want to hear from both speech-language pathologists (the professionals providing the therapy) and the children and their caregivers (the ones receiving the therapy) to understand their feelings and experiences about the different types of speech therapy.

To be eligible for this trial, children need to be between 4 and 12 years old, speak Dutch, and have a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip, as well as at least one speech error. However, children with certain other conditions, like those with syndromic clefts or hearing issues, cannot participate. Participants will take part in interviews to share their thoughts on the speech therapy they received, and their medical records will also be reviewed for additional information. This study aims to improve speech therapy for children with cleft palates, making it more effective and beneficial for them and their families.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Belgian Dutch-speaking children with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip
• • Aged between 4 and 12 years,
• • Presence of at least one compensatory speech error in their speech based on the perceptual assessment of one experienced speech-language pathologist
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Children with syndromic clefts
• • Oronasal fistula
• • Velopharyngeal insufficiency
• • Hearing disabilities based on pure tone audiometry (\>25 dB HL)
• • Cognitive and/or related learning disabilities or neuromuscular disorders