Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Longitudinal Speech Outcomes in Foreign-Born and Native-Born Children in Sweden with Cleft Palate, and Influence of Palatal Surgery Timing

Lendt, Louise LU orcid ; Becker, Magnus LU orcid ; Andersson, Ketty LU orcid and Klintö, Kristina LU orcid (2026) In Cleft Palate - Craniofacial Journal
Abstract
Objective To compare longitudinal speech outcomes at ages 5 and 10 years in foreign-born and Swedish-born children with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP ± L), and assess impact of cleft type, additional diagnosed conditions, sex, and age at completed primary palatal surgery.DesignLongitudinal, registry-based cohort study.SettingRegional public care university hospitals in Sweden.

Participants 723 children (143 foreign-born, 580 Swedish-born) with CP ± L.

Interventions Primary and secondary palatal surgery, and speech-language therapy.

Main outcome measures Dichotomized outcomes of velopharyngeal competence (VPC), percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and non-oral speech errors, and received secondary... (More)
Objective To compare longitudinal speech outcomes at ages 5 and 10 years in foreign-born and Swedish-born children with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP ± L), and assess impact of cleft type, additional diagnosed conditions, sex, and age at completed primary palatal surgery.DesignLongitudinal, registry-based cohort study.SettingRegional public care university hospitals in Sweden.

Participants 723 children (143 foreign-born, 580 Swedish-born) with CP ± L.

Interventions Primary and secondary palatal surgery, and speech-language therapy.

Main outcome measures Dichotomized outcomes of velopharyngeal competence (VPC), percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and non-oral speech errors, and received secondary palatal surgery and speech-language therapy.

Results A significantly lower proportion of foreign-born than Swedish-born 5-year-olds had VPC (75% vs. 85%, p = .007), age-appropriate consonant production (25% vs. 57% p < .001), and no non-oral speech errors (67% vs. 84%, p < .001). Speech improved longitudinally, yet a significantly lower proportion of foreign-born children had VPC (86% vs. 94%, p = .002), age-appropriate consonant production (52% vs. 76%, p < .001), and no non-oral errors (82% vs. 93%, p < .001) at 10 years. The difference in VPC at age 5 and in all speech outcomes at age 10 was associated with higher age at primary surgery in foreign-born children. They also had higher rates of secondary palatal surgery (p < .001) and speech-language therapy (p < .001) than Swedish-born peers.

Conclusions Later primary palatal surgery in foreign-born children was associated with poorer speech outcomes at 10 years. Early primary palatal surgery and continued follow-up are essential to optimize speech development. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Cleft Palate - Craniofacial Journal
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:105033852269
ISSN
1545-1569
DOI
10.1177/10556656261434
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fe60e60d-bbeb-4f7b-ade4-d0e2ef28a2ac
date added to LUP
2026-03-26 14:04:44
date last changed
2026-05-26 14:41:59
@article{fe60e60d-bbeb-4f7b-ade4-d0e2ef28a2ac,
  abstract     = {{Objective To compare longitudinal speech outcomes at ages 5 and 10 years in foreign-born and Swedish-born children with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP ± L), and assess impact of cleft type, additional diagnosed conditions, sex, and age at completed primary palatal surgery.DesignLongitudinal, registry-based cohort study.SettingRegional public care university hospitals in Sweden.<br/><br/>Participants 723 children (143 foreign-born, 580 Swedish-born) with CP ± L.<br/><br/>Interventions Primary and secondary palatal surgery, and speech-language therapy.<br/><br/>Main outcome measures Dichotomized outcomes of velopharyngeal competence (VPC), percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and non-oral speech errors, and received secondary palatal surgery and speech-language therapy.<br/><br/>Results A significantly lower proportion of foreign-born than Swedish-born 5-year-olds had VPC (75% vs. 85%, p = .007), age-appropriate consonant production (25% vs. 57% p &lt; .001), and no non-oral speech errors (67% vs. 84%, p &lt; .001). Speech improved longitudinally, yet a significantly lower proportion of foreign-born children had VPC (86% vs. 94%, p = .002), age-appropriate consonant production (52% vs. 76%, p &lt; .001), and no non-oral errors (82% vs. 93%, p &lt; .001) at 10 years. The difference in VPC at age 5 and in all speech outcomes at age 10 was associated with higher age at primary surgery in foreign-born children. They also had higher rates of secondary palatal surgery (p &lt; .001) and speech-language therapy (p &lt; .001) than Swedish-born peers.<br/><br/>Conclusions Later primary palatal surgery in foreign-born children was associated with poorer speech outcomes at 10 years. Early primary palatal surgery and continued follow-up are essential to optimize speech development.}},
  author       = {{Lendt, Louise and Becker, Magnus and Andersson, Ketty and Klintö, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{1545-1569}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Cleft Palate - Craniofacial Journal}},
  title        = {{Longitudinal Speech Outcomes in Foreign-Born and Native-Born Children in Sweden with Cleft Palate, and Influence of Palatal Surgery Timing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10556656261434}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/10556656261434}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}