White matter tract integrity in isolated oral clefts: relationship to cognition and reading skills.

Children with isolated cleft of the lip and/or palate (iCL/P) have been shown to be at risk for impaired reading ability. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have revealed subtle morphological and functional abnormalities correlated to cognition and reading ability. However, the integrity of white matter tracts and their potential relationship to reading performance in iCL/P is under-studied.

Brain structure and neural activity related to reading in boys with isolated oral clefts.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate brain structure and function in participants with iCL/P and unaffected controls. Effects of cleft presence and reading status (average vs impaired) were evaluated. Males, ages 8-11 years old, including 26 with iCL/P and 57 unaffected peers were recruited and coded for reading status (average vs impaired).

Word Reading in Boys With Isolated Oral Clefts: Comparison to Unaffected Average and Dyslexic Readers Using the Dual-Route Model.

Objective: To examine word reading performance between boys with isolated cleft lip and/or palate (iCL/P), unaffected average reading (uAR), and unaffected impaired reading (uIR), using the dual-route model.

Design: Case/control study.

Setting: University children's hospital.

Are predictors of reading impairment in isolated cleft similar to those in idiopathic dyslexia?

Children with isolated cleft of the lip and/or palate (iCL/P) are at increased risk for reading impairment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of early risk factors (hearing, speech, and early literacy) on reading performance compared to unaffected participants with average (uAR) and impaired (uIR) reading. Reading achievement and early literacy skills were evaluated across three groups (27 iCL/P, 32 uAR, and 33 uIR).

Neuropsychological functioning in children with non-syndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate.

Objective: Evaluate neuropsychological functioning in children with non-syndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) through profile variance within type of cleft and comparisons to controls.

Methods: Children ages 7 to 17 years participated; 66 had a diagnosis of NSCL/P and 87 were healthy controls. Neuropsychological tests of language, visual-perceptual, executive functioning, and memory skills were administered.