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The role of audiological diagnostics in children with cleft lip & palate (CLP)
Silky Luthra1, Satbir Singh, Anu N Nagarkar
1Speech & Hearing Unit, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. luthra_silky4@yahoo.co.in
Insights
Children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) often have middle ear pathologies, even without symptoms. Early otologic and audiologic follow-up is crucial for timely intervention and preventing hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Audiology
Background:
- Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a congenital condition that can affect ear development.
- Middle ear pathologies are common in CLP patients, potentially leading to hearing loss.
- Early detection and intervention are vital for managing otologic issues in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the otologic and audiologic status of surgically treated CLP patients.
- To determine the incidence of middle ear pathologies in asymptomatic CLP children.
- To inform the need for routine audiological monitoring in CLP patients.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted at a tertiary care institution in India.
- 55 children (ages 4-13) who underwent CLP surgery were assessed.
- Otologic and audiological evaluations were performed on all participants, regardless of reported ear problems.
Main Results:
- 53 out of 110 ears exhibited normal hearing.
- No severe or profound hearing loss was detected.
- Normal tympanic membranes were observed in 42% of right ears and 47% of left ears.
Conclusions:
- Routine otologic and audiologic follow-up is recommended for CLP patients.
- Early identification of middle ear pathologies and hearing loss is essential.
- Timely intervention can mitigate the impact of hearing impairment in CLP individuals.
Objective:
To assess the otologic and audiologic status of patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) operated in the Department of Pediatric Surgery attached to the Advanced Pediatric Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), India. The main idea of carrying out this study was to know the incidence of middle ear pathologies in a group where no complaints have been noticed.
Setting:
Research study was carried in Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) which is one of the tertiary care institutions in India.
Participants:
55 children (Mch: 28; Fch: 27) in the age range of 4-13 years constituted the study group. These children were operated upon by the same surgeon (JKM) during the period 1996-1998 and were attending the speech clinics at PGIMER. None of these children/parents had complained of any ear problem and were taken up for the study to find out the middle ear pathology. The ontological and audiological evaluation was done for all the children.
Results:
53 of 110 ears had normal hearing status. None of the ears had severe or profound hearing loss. The air conduction thresholds ranged from 20.2 to 29.63 dB across the frequencies whereas the bone conduction thresholds varied from 7.13 to 12.41 dB. Only 42% of the right (R) ears and 47% of the left (L) ears had a normal tympanic membrane.
Conclusion:
On the basis of this finding, investigation of the benefits of early and routine follow-up for otologic and audiologic status is warranted. Patients with cleft lip and palate should have an intense and detailed otologic and audiologic follow-up to identify any ME pathology/hearing loss so that timely intervention can be taken.
