Hearing Loss in the Patient with Cleft Palate

Abstract

The incidence of hearing loss in cleft palate patients reported in the literature varies considerably, ranging from 0 (Goetzinger et al., 1960) to 100 percent (Harrison and Philips, 1971). This large variation may be related at least in part to differences in (1) age of subjects tested, (2) time of year tested, (3) type of cleft, (4) management of cleft, (5) presence of associated anomalies, and (6) criteria of hearing loss used. Each of these variables will be discussed.