The efficacy of speech intervention for improving the speech of children with cleft palate : a systematic review

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of speech intervention, the effects of different speech intervention approaches and the optimal intensity and duration of speech intervention for children with cleft palate. This study followed the guidelines set out in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions. The study searched fifteen electronic databases to identify studies for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that conducted speech intervention to children with cleft palate. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) methodology checklist 2 for controlled trials was used to appraise the methodological quality of the studies. R was used to calculate the treatment effect of each trial and conduct a meta-analysis. Eight English and five Chinese studies were included. All were judged to have methodological limitations that lower the level of quality of evidence. Meta-analysis was not conducted as planned due to the heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures. There is inadequate evidence supporting that speech intervention could improve the speech production of children with cleft palate. Further high-quality RCTs investigating the effects of speech intervention and different intervention approaches are needed.