Immediate individual effects of intensive group speech intervention on speech and health-related quality of life in adolescents with cleft palate: a descriptive study in the Philippines.

INTRODUCTION

This descriptive study investigated the immediate individual effects of intensive group speech intervention on speech, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction in adolescents born with a cleft (lip and) palate (CP ± L) in the Philippines.

METHODS

Four Filipino adolescents with a repaired CP ± L (age range = 17 to 23 years) were included. They presented with at least one cleft-related speech sound error. They received 6 h of intensive group speech intervention over 4 consecutive days (i.e. 1 h and 30 min of therapy each day). Pre- and post-intervention outcomes were collected for speech, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with group intervention. Individual participant data were reported.

RESULTS

The speech of all four participants improved to a clinically relevant degree for the percentage correctly produced consonants (PCC). Speech understandability and acceptability also improved in every participant. PCC scores of two participants were on a level with peers following the group sessions.

DISCUSSION: Speech and health-related quality of life outcomes improved in all four participants after intensive group intervention. However, not everyone reached the level of peers following 6 h of intervention. Participants who presented with a combination of cleft-related speech sound errors might have benefited from a larger intervention dosage.