This study proposes to extend the research of language development in children with cleft lip and/or palate from the current data bases limit of 30 months to 54 months of age. The results of the study clearly prompt the need for the proposed second study in order to examine the profiles of language acquisition identified early in the language learning period and assess their stability as the children research the end of their pre-school years. Three profiles of language development have been identified: 1) a normal profile of receptive and expressive language development; 2) early delays in expressive language which appear to improve for some children; and 3) delays in receptive and expressive language development. The proposed project will examine the course of these language profiles. The proposed project will examine the course of these language profiles. Do the profiles continue through the pre-school period? Do some profiles change? Some children with the expressive delay profile appear to resolve their early delays. Do all the children with this profile show this """"""""catch-up"""""""" pattern? Do children the receptor/expressive delays continue to show delays or do they improve? The specific goals of the project: 1) examining the three language development profiles in children with clef lip and or palate through 54 months of age; and 2) providing clinical and research mentoring for graduate students in communicative disorders and pediatric residents. The study will continue to examine 25 non-syndromic children with cleft lip and/or palate and 25 children without clefts matched for SES, age, and gender. These children and their families will receive two assessments when the children and 42 and 54 months of age. The assessments will include hearing, receptive/expressive language, articulation-phonology, general growth parameters and middle ear function. The research questions will be analyses using general linear model analysis of variance to explore the cleft and non-cleft difference and growth curve analysis and classify trends in the longitudinal variables for individual children. Further, multi-variate discriminant analysis and non-linear modeling will be used to examine predictors of language outcome at 54 months of age. Finally, to assess the educational component of the proposal, student questionnaires will be used to gather input regarding the impact of the interdisciplinary experience.
