Psychopathology in infants, toddlers, and preschool children with nonsyndromic clefts of the lip and/or palate: a case-control study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess psychopathology and maternal interactions in infants, toddlers, and preschool children with nonsyndromic clefts of the lip and/or palate (NSCLP) and association of psychopathology with cleft-related factors and maternal interactions. Design: Twenty-six children from 4 to 72 months of age with NSCLP, who were attending the Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Department were included as the case group. Fifty-two healthy children who were matched on age and sex with the case group were taken as controls. Children were assessed in aspects of psychiatric diagnosis, articulation, and development. Results: Speech and language disorders (SLD) (P < 0.001), disorders of affect (DA) (P = 0.005), feeding behavior disorder (P = 0.002), sleep-behavior disorder (SBD) (P = 0.038), and disordered mother-child relationship (P < 0.001) were more prevalent in children with NSCLP. Dental alignment (P = 0.024), number of operations (P = 0.006), and type of operations (P = 0.012) were associated with DA. The children in the case group, who had disordered relationship with their mothers had significantly more SLD (P = 0.036) and SBD (P = 0.039). Conclusions: Children with NSCLP are at risk of developing psychopathology, especially SLD and DA. Maternal interactions and the above cleft-related factors and may be the target of interventions to prevent and treat psychiatric disorders in these children.