Indications of congenital palatal incompetence before diagnosis

By questionnaire, parents of 28 children with CPI were asked about pregnancy and delivery; speech, developmental, and health history; and the circumstances of the CPI diagnosis. A normal control group was used for comparison. CPI children had lower birth weights and, during early childhood, were more poorly understood by parents and more frequently had nasalized speech. In 50%, CPI diagnosis was made following adenoidectomy. Data and clinical findings indicate that possible predictors of CPI are unusually defective speech production, particularly characterized by nasalization, as a young child; a short or poorly mobile palate; anterior dimpling of the soft palate during elevation; radiographic abnormalities of the cervical vertebrae; neurologic abnormalities (developmental milestones or clinical examination); and nasal leakage of liquids as a very young infant. Temporary velopharyngeal incompetence and nasalized speech may occur in the normal patient following adenoidectomy but the disorder resolves in a day or two. Persistent nasalized speech following adenoidectomy indicates the likelihood of CPI; such a patient requires evaluation by a speech pathologist and possible surgical correction.