Impact of tongue reduction on overall speech intelligibility, articulation and oromyofunctional behavior in 4 children with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of partial glossectomy (using the keyhole technique) on speech intelligibility, articulation, resonance and oromyofunctional behavior.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

A partial glossectomy was performed in 4 children with Beckwith- Wiedemann syndrome between the ages of 0.5 and 3.1 years. An ENT assessment, a phonetic inventory, a phonemic and phonological analysis and a consensus perceptual evaluation of speech intelligibility, resonance and oromyofunctional behavior were performed.

RESULTS:

It was not possible in this study to separate the effects of the surgery from the typical developmental progress of speech sound mastery. Improved speech intelligibility, a more complete phonetic inventory, an increase in phonological skills, normal resonance and increased motor-oriented oral behavior were found in the postsurgical condition. The presence of phonetic distortions, lip incompetence and interdental tongue position were still present in the postsurgical condition.

CONCLUSION:

Speech therapy should be focused on correct phonetic placement and a motor-oriented approach to increase lip competence, and on functional tongue exercises and tongue lifting during the production of alveolars. Detailed analyses in a larger number of subjects with and without Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome may help further illustrate the long-term impact of partial glossectomy.

• Authors: K Van Lierde, G Galiwango, A Hodges, K Bettens, A Luyten, H Vermeersch
• Journal: Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) (Folia Phoniatr Logop) Vol. 64 Issue 2 Pg. 55-63 ( 2012) ISSN: 1421-9972 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 22095257 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Topics

• Articulation Disorders (etiology, physiopathology, surgery, therapy)
• Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (complications)
• Child, Preschool
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Deglutition Disorders (etiology, physiopathology, surgery)
• Glossectomy
• Hepatoblastoma (drug therapy, surgery)
• Humans
• Infant
• Kidney Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Language Development
• Lip (physiopathology)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, surgery)
• Macroglossia (complications, surgery)
• Movement Disorders (etiology, physiopathology, surgery)
• Muscle Hypotonia (etiology, physiopathology)
• Phonetics
• Speech Intelligibility
• Speech Therapy
• Tongue (physiopathology)
• Wilms Tumor (drug therapy)