Improving speech therapy for children with cleft palate
One Size Does Not Fit All: From a Common Approach Towards Performance-specific Speech Intervention and Long-term Learning in Children With a Cleft Palate
NA · University Ghent · NCT06105099
This study is testing three different speech therapy methods to see which one helps Belgian Dutch-speaking children with cleft palate improve their speech and overall quality of life the best.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 135 (estimated) |
| Ages | 4 Years to 12 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Ghent (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Ghent) |
| Trial ID | NCT06105099 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This project aims to enhance speech therapy for Belgian Dutch-speaking children with cleft palate by comparing three different therapeutic approaches: motor-phonetic, phonological, and a combined method. The study will assess both immediate and long-term effects of these interventions on speech quality and health-related quality of life. By tailoring therapy to specific speech characteristics, the goal is to improve outcomes and ensure that newly learned speech skills are retained and transferred to untrained consonants.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Belgian Dutch-speaking children aged 4 to 12 years with a cleft palate and at least one compensatory speech error.
Not a fit: Children with syndromic clefts, oronasal fistula, velopharyngeal insufficiency, hearing disabilities, or cognitive and related learning disabilities may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective speech therapy tailored to individual needs, significantly improving communication skills and quality of life for children with cleft palate.
How similar studies have performed: While there have been studies on speech therapy for cleft palate, this specific approach of comparing multiple tailored interventions is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Belgian Dutch-speaking children with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip * Aged between 4 and 12 years * Presence of at least one compensatory speech error in their speech based on the perceptual assessment of one experienced speech-language pathologist Exclusion Criteria: * Children with syndromic clefts * Oronasal fistula * Velopharyngeal insufficiency * Hearing disabilities based on pure tone audiometry (\>25 dB HL) * Cognitive and/or related learning disabilities or neuromuscular disorders
Where this trial is running
Ghent
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences — Ghent, Belgium (RECRUITING)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Cleft Palate Children, Speech Disorders in Children, Cleft Lip and Palate, Speech Therapy, Randomized controlled trial, Speech therapy, Cleft lip and palate