Normative Nasalance Data in Ugandan English-Speaking Children

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to obtain normative nasalance values for typically developing Ugandan English-speaking children as a reference point for clinical practice and further research. Methods: Sixty-nine typically developing Ugandan children (35 males and 34 females, 2.7–13.5 years of age) participated in the study. Nasalance scores were obtained with the Nasometer while children repeated 4 sustained sounds, 14 repeated syllables, 15 sentences (12 oral, 3 nasal) and 2 texts (‘Rainbow Passage’ and ‘Zoo Passage’). Data were analyzed for gender and age dependence. Results: No significant effects of age or gender on nasalance values were obtained; hence, normative values for the overall group were reported. The average nasalance scores for Ugandan English-speaking children were 17 and 64% for the oral and nasal sentences and 33 and 14% for the oronasal and oral text, respectively. Conclusion: The normative values are important as a reference point to assess the impact of several surgical procedures and several surgical timing strategies on speech in Uganda.

Effects of Age and Gender in Normal-Speaking Children on the Nasality Severity Index: An Objective Multiparametric Approach to Hypernasality

“…Additionally, several authors [17,24,35,36,37,38,39] found no significant differences between men and women. Also between boys and girls with a maximum age of 13 years comparable nasalance values have been reported [11,17,18,20,21,22,25,40]. …”

“…In the literature, a controversy exists about the differences in nasalance values, obtained by the Nasometer [4], for age and gender (table 1). Some authors report low correlations between age and nasalance [10,11,16,17,18,19,20], while others mention significantly lower nasalance values in younger children compared with older children for nasal sentences [21,22] and oral texts [22], or lower nasalance scores for certain speech stimuli in children compared with adults [23,24,25,26]. Possible explanations for these differences are the stronger evidence of coarticulation in adult speakers as a result of speaking experience [27], age-related changes in lymphoid and gland tissue at the velopharyngeal port [28], and the growth of the oropharynx [29] and nasal cavity [30].…”

Valores de nasalância para sílabas produzidas por falantes do Português Brasileiro

“…Normative nasalance values during repetition of syllables were obtained for speakers of American English (18) and Marathi (19) , Turkish (20) , Egyptian (21) and Ugandan English dialect (22) , as well as for adults speakers of Greek (23) . One of these studies, in particular, determined the nasalance values for Egyptian language speakers, and checked the effect of gender and age in these values (21) .…”

Adult Tonsillectomy: Anatomical Differences Affect Postoperative Transient Hypernasality

“…No significant effects of age or gender on nasality values were obtained in previous studies [19,21]; hence, overall normative values for the groups were reported. The mean DV on the mirror positioned under the patient's nose while articulating nasal sentences increases in the period immediately after tonsillectomy, reflecting the greater opening of the velopharyngeal passageway between the oral vocal tract and the nasal tract, increased airflow through the passageway and subsequent hypernasality.…”