Oral cavity: timing of palatoplasty: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

ENT · Oral cavity: timing of palatoplasty

Sample item

A baby is born with an isolated cleft of the hard and soft palate. At what age is palatoplasty ideally done to favour normal speech development?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Around 9 to 12 months

Palatoplasty is usually done between 9 and 12 months, before speech develops, to give a functioning velopharyngeal mechanism. Cleft lip repair is usually at about 3 months. Later repair risks persistent speech abnormalities.

Option by option

  • A. Around 9 to 12 months (correct)

    Correct. Repair before speech development, at about 9 to 12 months.

  • B. At puberty

    Puberty is too late.

  • C. Within the first week

    Repair in the first week is too early for safe anaesthesia and surgery.

  • D. At 5 years

    Waiting until 5 years leads to compensatory speech habits.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Around 9 to 12 months. Palatoplasty is usually done between 9 and 12 months, before speech develops, to give a functioning velopharyngeal mechanism.

Why is "At puberty" not the answer?

Puberty is too late.

Why is "Within the first week" not the answer?

Repair in the first week is too early for safe anaesthesia and surgery.

Why is "At 5 years" not the answer?

Waiting until 5 years leads to compensatory speech habits.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral cavity: timing of palatoplasty in ENT. Cleft lip repair is usually at about 3 months. Later repair risks persistent speech abnormalities.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral cavity: timing of palatoplasty?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.