The correlation between speedy and intermittent oral movements (diadochokinetic skills) and the speech intelligibility in 5 to 6 years old children with cleft palate

Cleft palate is a congenital malformation. The structural defects causes disturbances in speech clarity due to incomplete closure of the oropharyngeal ring. Previous studies of speech and language disorders (including cleft palate) suggest impaired diadochokinesis skill. We thought that there is a relationship between diadochokinesis and intelligibility of speech. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between oral diadochokinesis with intelligibility of speech. The present study is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Thirty children aged between 5 to 6 years with cleft palate (15 boys and 15 girls) were randomly recruited from hospitals in Mashhad, Iran. 30 normal children of the same age were selected as controls. The resolution capability of Weiss and Fletcher criteria were used for clarity of speech and speed of diadochokinesis respectively. Between diadochokinesis in patients with cleft palate, and their intelligibility of speech a negative correlation was observed (- 89% in male, -92% in girls), But no correlation was found in normal children (-0.009 and -0.046 in boys and girls respectively). There was ot significant differences in both diadochokinesis and intelligibility of speech between two groups (p>0.05). According to the findings in patients with cleft palate; diadochokinesis speed and intelligibility of speech can be significantly reduced compared to normal children of the same age that significantly related with each other. This relationship was not found in normal individuals.