DEVELOPING SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY FOR CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN PAKISTAN

Cleft lip and palate is a congenital craniofacial anomaly of the oral cavity, where in a structural malformation in the upper jaw including the lip, teeth, alveolus, bony hard palate, soft palate and/or uvula, critically interfere with functions of feeding and speech development. The condition is defined according to its presentation, which may be unilateral or bilateral, with a partial or total cleft, having higher incidence in the Indian sub-continent, including Pakistan, as compared to the rest of the developed world. A cleft lip/palate warrants early intervention through a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals, namely: pediatrician, plastic surgeon, otorhinolaryngologist; maxillofacial surgeon, dentist, orthodontist, prosthodontist, nutritionist, speech language therapist, and psychologist. Appropriate feeding strategies along with specialized tools may be employed soon after birth to ensure good health in preparation of surgery as early as possible. Speech-language therapy is an essential aspect of intervention, which helps the child develop effective verbal communication skills which is crucial for social and emotional well being, as well as for a successful academic career.