A Study on Changes in Language Ability and Speech Sound Production Through Early Intervention in a Child with Submucous Cleft Palate and Hearing Impairment

Objectives This study examined the changes in language ability and speech sound production by providing early auditory training, language intervention, and articulation training to a preschool child diagnosed with hearing impairment and with a history of cleft palate surgery. Methods Using the Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI), the Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES), the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT), and the Urimal Test of Articulation and Phonation (U-TAP), pre-tests were conducted on a child with hearing impairment and cleft palate. The child then received interventions, and the progress was assessed through mid-intervention and post-intervention tests, with the results being compared and analyzed. Results As the intervention progressed, the child with hearing impairment and cleft palate showed an increase of 21 months in receptive language and 35 months in expressive language. The receptive and expressive vocabulary also significantly improved to 4 years 4 months and 6 years 4 months, respectively. Consonant accuracy increased from 27.9% before intervention to 81.39% after intervention, indicating a substantial improvement in articulation skills. Conclusions The study confirmed significant improvements in language and articulation abilities during the intervention period, highlighting the effectiveness of early intervention for children with hearing impairment and cleft palate. These findings suggest that early intervention should be implemented in clinical practice for children with similar disabilities in the future.