Hearing in cleft palate patients.

Abstract

Permanent hearing loss is present in more than 50% of the adult cleft palate population. Serous otitis media related to eustachian-tube dysfunction is present from birth in over 90% of infants with cleft palates and leads to middle ear changes responsible for permanent hearing loss in adulthood. Early and successful closure of the cleft palate is associated with decreased adult hearing loss and secondary surgery for hypernasal cleft palate is also associated with a decreased incidence. Hard-of-hearing patients have a tendency to remain more hypernasal than their normal-hearing peers and are less likely to respond to conventional speech therapy.