Assessment of hearing status in children with non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate in China

Abstract

Non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) is a common congenital craniofacial malformation worldwide, and there are a large number of babies born with CL/P every year in China. Children with NSCL/P often have a high prevalence of middle ear disorder because of Eustachian tube dysfunction. However, the degree of possible conductive hearing loss and distribution of affected frequencies of pure tone test thresholds in school age children with NSCL/P have been rarely reported in China or other developing countries. In addition to peripheral hearing loss, children with NSCL/P may have a higher than typical prevalence of (central) auditory processing disorder [(C)APD] reflected in their poor academic performance and delayed speech or language development. This study aimed to use a medical history ...