Timing matters? Investigating the impact of age at palatal closure on hearing in Filipino individuals with cleft palate
- Author
- Katrien Kestens (UGent) , Cassandra Alighieri (UGent) , Andrew Hodges, Jolien Verbeke (UGent) , Rica Albite, Raphaelle May Tan and Kristiane Van Lierde (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- Introduction: This study examined ear and hearing outcomes in Filipino individuals with a cleft palate with/without a cleft lip and investigated whether age at palatal closure is associated with the presence or absence of hearing loss. Methods: Participants were individuals with a repaired cleft palate with/without a cleft lip recruited from the Tebow CURE hospital (Davao, Philippines). An anamnestic interview assessed the presence of hearing-related symptoms. Otoscopic examination and pure-tone audiometry were performed bilaterally to evaluate external ear anatomy and hearing sensitivity, respectively. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine whether age at palatal closure (in years) predicted the presence or absence of hearing loss. Results: The study included 52 participants (21 males, 31 females; mean age = 17.8 years). One-third (33.3%) demonstrated hearing loss (pure-tone average ≥25 dB HL). Nearly half (42.3%) reported a previous experience of tinnitus, with 9.0% describing it as bothersome. Age at palatal closure was not a significant predictor of the presence or absence of hearing loss. Conclusion: While age at palatal closure was not significantly associated with hearing loss, the study highlights the prevalence of ear and hearing problems, including tinnitus, among Filipino individuals with a cleft palate with/without a cleft lip. These findings emphasize the urgent need for improved access to ear and hearing care services in this population.
- Keywords
- Cleft lip/palate, Middle-income country, Ear, Hearing, Palatal closure, QUALITY-OF-LIFE, CHILDREN, LIP, OUTCOMES, TINNITUS, EAR
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01KKK7EX2SJ3H9YKWH49QGD5FB
- MLA
- Kestens, Katrien, et al. “Timing Matters? Investigating the Impact of Age at Palatal Closure on Hearing in Filipino Individuals with Cleft Palate.” FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA, 2026, doi:10.1159/000550819.
- APA
- Kestens, K., Alighieri, C., Hodges, A., Verbeke, J., Albite, R., May Tan, R., & Van Lierde, K. (2026). Timing matters? Investigating the impact of age at palatal closure on hearing in Filipino individuals with cleft palate. FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA. https://doi.org/10.1159/000550819
- Chicago author-date
- Kestens, Katrien, Cassandra Alighieri, Andrew Hodges, Jolien Verbeke, Rica Albite, Raphaelle May Tan, and Kristiane Van Lierde. 2026. “Timing Matters? Investigating the Impact of Age at Palatal Closure on Hearing in Filipino Individuals with Cleft Palate.” FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA. https://doi.org/10.1159/000550819.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Kestens, Katrien, Cassandra Alighieri, Andrew Hodges, Jolien Verbeke, Rica Albite, Raphaelle May Tan, and Kristiane Van Lierde. 2026. “Timing Matters? Investigating the Impact of Age at Palatal Closure on Hearing in Filipino Individuals with Cleft Palate.” FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA. doi:10.1159/000550819.
- Vancouver
- 1.Kestens K, Alighieri C, Hodges A, Verbeke J, Albite R, May Tan R, et al. Timing matters? Investigating the impact of age at palatal closure on hearing in Filipino individuals with cleft palate. FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA. 2026;
- IEEE
- [1]K. Kestens et al., “Timing matters? Investigating the impact of age at palatal closure on hearing in Filipino individuals with cleft palate,” FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA, 2026.
@article{01KKK7EX2SJ3H9YKWH49QGD5FB,
abstract = {{Introduction: This study examined ear and hearing outcomes in Filipino individuals with a cleft palate with/without a cleft lip and investigated whether age at palatal closure is associated with the presence or absence of hearing loss. Methods: Participants were individuals with a repaired cleft palate with/without a cleft lip recruited from the Tebow CURE hospital (Davao, Philippines). An anamnestic interview assessed the presence of hearing-related symptoms. Otoscopic examination and pure-tone audiometry were performed bilaterally to evaluate external ear anatomy and hearing sensitivity, respectively. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine whether age at palatal closure (in years) predicted the presence or absence of hearing loss. Results: The study included 52 participants (21 males, 31 females; mean age = 17.8 years). One-third (33.3%) demonstrated hearing loss (pure-tone average ≥25 dB HL). Nearly half (42.3%) reported a previous experience of tinnitus, with 9.0% describing it as bothersome. Age at palatal closure was not a significant predictor of the presence or absence of hearing loss. Conclusion: While age at palatal closure was not significantly associated with hearing loss, the study highlights the prevalence of ear and hearing problems, including tinnitus, among Filipino individuals with a cleft palate with/without a cleft lip. These findings emphasize the urgent need for improved access to ear and hearing care services in this population.}},
author = {{Kestens, Katrien and Alighieri, Cassandra and Hodges, Andrew and Verbeke, Jolien and Albite, Rica and May Tan, Raphaelle and Van Lierde, Kristiane}},
issn = {{1021-7762}},
journal = {{FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA}},
keywords = {{Cleft lip/palate,Middle-income country,Ear,Hearing,Palatal closure,QUALITY-OF-LIFE,CHILDREN,LIP,OUTCOMES,TINNITUS,EAR}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{10}},
title = {{Timing matters? Investigating the impact of age at palatal closure on hearing in Filipino individuals with cleft palate}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1159/000550819}},
year = {{2026}},
}
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