[Clinical study on speech disorders and speech therapy of ankyloglossia].

Speech disorders in ankyloglossia, especially in the young children, were studied from various clinical points and the treatment method was discussed. The subjects were classified into Group A of over 5 years of age and Group B of less than 5 years of age, and also they were classified into Patterns I to IV, according to the site of articulation of the tongue. Then the subjects were discussed from the viewpoint of the type of articulation disorder, degree of ankyloglossia, therapeutic procedure and prognosis. Pattern I is seen in 67% of all subjects, being larger in number in Group A than in Group B. Distortion and substitution were seen in all four patterns and omission and nasal articulation , which were thought to be serious disorders, were seen in Patterns II and III. The degree of ankyloglossia was thought to have little influence upon the articulation disorder . While the prognosis of all patterns in Group B were good, the results were insufficient in one case of Pattern Ib and a case of Pattern III in Group A. It is considered that early treatment before 5 years of age is better in prognosis and that the degree of ankyloglossia, pattern and type of articulation disorder are important factors for diagnosis and treatment method.