Periconceptional folic acid associated with an increased risk of oral clefts relative to non-folate related malformations in the Northern Netherlands: a population based case-control study.

Periconceptional folic acid has been associated with a reduced risk of neural tube defects, but findings on its effect in oral clefts are largely inconclusive. This case-control study assesses the effects of periconceptional folic acid on cleft risk, using complementary data from the Dutch Oral Cleft Registry and a population-based birth defects registry (Eurocat) of children and foetuses born in the Northern Netherlands between 1997 and 2009. Cases were live-born infants with non-syndromic clefts (n = 367) and controls were infants or foetuses with chromosomal/syndromal (n = 924) or non-folate related anomalies (n = 2,021).

Measuring speech sound development: an item response model approach.

Research Aim: The primary aim of our study is to investigate if there is an ordering in the speech sound development of children aged 3-6, similar to the ordering in general language development.

Method: The speech sound development of 1035 children was tested with a revised version of Logo-Articulation Assessment. The data were analyzed with the Mokken Scale Program (MSP) in order to construct scales with satisfactory scalability (H-coefficient) and sufficient reliability (rho).

Age of diagnosis and evaluation of consequences of submucous cleft palate.

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of submucous cleft palate (SMCP) in a group of children with clefts. The reason for suspecting submucous cleft, age of diagnosis, effect of age on speech development, problems in speech, hearing and swallowing were compared with previous literature.

Methods: Retrospective chart review: Out of 33 patients with SMCP, registered by the Groninger cleft team over approximately 20 years (1990 until July 2012), 28 non-syndromic patients with a proven diagnosis of SMCP were included: 17 males and 11 females.

Limited evidence for the effect of presurgical nasoalveolar molding in unilateral cleft on nasal symmetry: a call for unified research.

Background: In the past two decades, presurgical nasoalveolar molding has been applied increasingly in the care of patients with a cleft to improve nasal symmetry and facilitate closure of the lip and secondary rhinoplasty. Many cleft centers do not apply presurgical molding, because its effect is disputed. This review aims to quantify the effect of nasal symmetry in the long term.

Phonetic and phonemic acquisition: normative data in English and Dutch speech sound development.

Objective: Comparison of normative data in English and Dutch speech sound development in young children. Research questions were: Which normative data are present concerning speech sound development in children between two and six years of age? In which way are the speech sounds examined? What are the differences and similarities between the development of speech sounds in different languages?

Methods: A literature study on the subject was performed to be able to answer the research questions.

Results: The presented normative English data showed that all vowels are present at three years of age, and most consonants (singletons) already at four years of age, except for/ʃ, ɹ, θ, ð/.