Cleft Speech Type Characteristics in Patients with Cleft Lip/Palate in Lao PDR
Kalyanee Makarabhirom PhD*, Benjamas Prathanee PhD**, Nantiya Uppanasak BSc**, Bowornsilp Chowchuen MD***, Tanyaratch Sampanthawong BSc****
Affiliation : * Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand *** Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand **** Northern Women’s Development Foundation, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Objective : To explore cleft speech type characteristics (CTCs) in individuals with cleft lip and/or palate in Bokeo Province,
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR).
Material and Method: Twelve children with repaired cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) who lived in Bokeo Province were
registered in a speech camp between July 2014 and October 2015. A Thai speech-language pathologist (SLP) and a Laotian
health care provider assessed articulation and resonance using the Lao standard test. Descriptive analysis of the cleft speech
type characteristics (CTCs) were used.
Results : General articulation types in children with CLP were functional/physiological (25.0%), developmental/phonological
(25.0%), and compensatory articulation disorders (CAD) (50.0%) that might be associated with velopharyngeal insuffi-
ciency (VPI). Non-oral, glottal articulation (glottal stop /?/ and glottal fricative /h/) and active nasalized consonants for oral
pressure consonants (45.45 %) were the most common CTCs, followed by posterior oral: backed to velar/uvular (36.36 %).
Omission of final consonant with nasalized consonants (41.7%) was a common error in Laotian children with CLP.
Conclusion : CTCs were glottal productions, backing velar consonant substitution and nasalized consonants.
Keywords : Cleft Type Characteristic, Articulation, Cleft Lip/Palate
