Do the reading disabilities of children with cleft fit into current models of developmental dyslexia?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the reading problems of children with cleft fit models of developmental dyslexia.

Design: The study compared children with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate who had reading disability (n = 46) with those who did not have reading disability (n = 46). The children were matched for age, sex, and grade. The two groups were compared (t tests) on measures of verbal expression, phonemic awareness, and rapid naming. Also, regression analyses compared the relative relationships of these variables to reading disability.

Participants: Children were selected from 154 patients originally screened.

Results: Children with reading disability scored significantly lower on rapid naming and verbal expression, with no differences found on phonemic awareness. Rapid naming was shown to have the most significant association with reading disability.

Conclusion: Children with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate show symptoms similar to a naming-memory deficit model of developmental dyslexia. Reading treatment should avoid sight word approaches and focus on oral phonics treatment.