International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology
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Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. · Jul 2007
Multicenter Study Historical ArticleSpeech and language development in a population of Swedish hearing-impaired pre-school children, a cross-sectional study.
There is little information on speech and language development in pre-school children with mild, moderate or severe hearing impairment. The primary aim of the study is to establish a reference material for clinical use covering various aspects of speech and language functions and to relate test values to pure tone audiograms and parents' judgement of their children's hearing and language abilities. ⋯ Reference values for expected speech and language development are presented that cover nearly 60% of the studied population. The effect of the peripheral hearing impairment is compensated for in many children with hearing impairment up to 60 dB HL. Above that degree of impairment, language delay is more pronounced, probably due to a loss of acuity. The importance of central cognitive functions, speech reading and signing for compensation of peripheral limitations is pointed out.
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Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. · Jul 2007
Multicenter StudyThe clinical relevance of the submucosal cricoid cleft.
Although fairly uncommon and sometimes difficult to diagnose, laryngeal clefts have been well-defined in the literature. The submucosal cleft variant has been described anatomically, but not clinically. We describe a series of patients with a submucosal cricoid cleft variant and its clinical relevance. ⋯ Because of the subtle nature of its clinical presentation, submucosal cricoid cleft can be a challenging diagnostic entity, and the results of surgical reconstruction may be compromised if the cleft is undiagnosed.