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Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
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Published on: January 23, 2017

Oral clefts and behavioral health of young children

G L Wehby1, M C Tyler, S Lindgren

  • 1Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. george-wehby@uiowa.edu

Oral Diseases
|September 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Most children with oral clefts have typical behavioral health, but older children may show more inattention/hyperactivity. Low facial appearance satisfaction, more surgeries, and lower socioeconomic status (SES) increase behavioral issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Craniofacial Anomalies
  • Behavioral Health

Background:

  • Children with oral clefts may face unique challenges impacting their behavioral health.
  • Factors like appearance satisfaction, surgical history, and socioeconomic status (SES) are potential influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate behavioral health outcomes in young children with oral clefts.
  • To examine the impact of facial appearance satisfaction, cleft team care, surgical history, and SES on these outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based sample of 104 children (aged 2-12) with isolated oral clefts was studied.
  • Behavioral health was assessed using standardized tools (Child Behavior Checklist/Pediatric Behavior Scale) and compared to normative data.

Main Results:

  • Children with oral clefts generally showed similar behavioral risks to the general population, except for higher inattention/hyperactivity in older children (6-12 years).
  • Low satisfaction with facial appearance correlated with behavioral problems across most domains (excluding aggression).
  • Increased cleft-related surgeries were linked to higher risks of anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms. Higher SES was associated with fewer behavioral issues.

Conclusions:

  • While most children with oral clefts exhibit typical behavioral health, specific risk factors require attention.
  • Low facial appearance satisfaction, extensive surgical history, and lower SES are significant predictors of behavioral problems.
  • The findings highlight the importance of behavioral health support within cleft care teams and accessible mental healthcare services.
Abstract

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