Consonantal space area in Children with a Cleft Palate An acoustic Study

The aim of this acoustic study is to examine place of articulation during the production of voiced plosives by children with a cleft palate. The data is compared with those obtained from control children without speech disorders. Formant values of F2 and F3 are measured at burst release of the plosives. Analyses are carried out for 52 children, from 9 to 18 years old. Two groups were established: one of 26 children with a cleft palate, and one of 26 children with no speech disorder. Results reveal differences in F2/F3 values between disordered children and unimpaired ones, and also between the different age groups, for disordered and control children. Differences in articulatory strategies are inferred from the analyses of F2/F3 relations