Longitudinal Study of Vocal Development and Language Environments in Infants With Cleft Palate

This study investigated vocalization and language environment longitudinally in infants with cleft palate (CP) based on day-long audio recordings collected in their natural environments.

Language Environment Analysis (LENA) data from all-day recordings at home were collected at 3-month intervals for infants from 4-6 to 16-18 months of age. The recordings were analyzed using experimentally blinded human coding as well as LENA automated analysis.

Ten infants with CP (± cleft lip) and 10 age-matched infants without CP.

Several measurements were obtained from the LENA automated analysis software. In addition, human coded measurements of vocalization and language environment, including the true canonical babbling ratio and the infant-directed speech ratio, were analyzed for each time point of data collection for each infant. Statistical analyses were performed to conduct group and age comparisons for each measure of vocalization and language environment.

No group differences emerged in number of syllables produced. Infants with CP exhibited late onset and fewer productions of canonical syllables compared to infants without CP. Infants with CP did not show significant differences from infants without CP in measures related to language environment across ages.

This study provides detailed information through naturalistic all-day home recordings about vocal development and early language environments in infants with CP before and after palatal repair. Clinical implications for early intervention are discussed.