Which speech errors are commonly made by children with cleft lip/palate?

Children with cleft lip and/or palate often experience unique speech challenges due to the structural differences that affect their oral cavity. The presence of hypernasality is a common characteristic associated with cleft palate, leading to specific speech errors.

Pharyngeal fricatives and glottal stops are two types of articulations that some children with cleft palate may use compensatorily. The pharyngeal fricative involves constricting the throat to create sound, while the glottal stop is produced by obstructing airflow at the vocal cords. Since these children may struggle to produce sounds that require adequate intraoral pressure, such as fricatives or stops, they frequently substitute these with sounds produced in the pharynx or through the glottis to compensate for inadequate airflow or resonance caused by their anatomical challenges.

Understanding these common speech patterns in children with cleft lip/palate can help speech-language pathologists tailor interventions to address these specific speech errors and improve communication skills.