Is it true that in a child with cleft soft palate the adenoid cannot be removed although the child suffers from a significant hearing loss due to adenoid’s enlargement, because it would contribute to intensification of already existing speech disorders?

In that case the body does what it can: the palate does not function, so it creates a lymphatic barrier in form of enlarged adenoids in order to save the lungs. The enlargements though injure the nasal and oral pharynx, they block the auditory tube and the peripheral speech apparatus is still failing. Poor hearing equals poor speech. The child should quickly be examined by a fonetrics specialist and as quickly as possible operated on. Like in the previous case first the problem with the palate should be solved.

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