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    Speech Development Related To Cleft Palate: Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD)

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    Hamedullah
    Children born with cleft palate often experience speech problems such as delays in speech development and compensatory speech errors. Over half may require speech therapy, though most will achieve normal speech by age 5. Speech problems can include difficulties producing sounds and hypernasality from improper velopharyngeal closure. Therapy aims to teach correct tongue and lip movements, while surgery may help moderate to severe cases of improper velopharyngeal function. Parents can support speech by encouraging talking, working with therapists, and ensuring proper hearing through regular exams.

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    Speech Development Related To Cleft Palate: Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD)

    Uploaded by

    Hamedullah
    19 views2 pages
    Children born with cleft palate often experience speech problems such as delays in speech development and compensatory speech errors. Over half may require speech therapy, though most will achieve normal speech by age 5. Speech problems can include difficulties producing sounds and hypernasality from improper velopharyngeal closure. Therapy aims to teach correct tongue and lip movements, while surgery may help moderate to severe cases of improper velopharyngeal function. Parents can support speech by encouraging talking, working with therapists, and ensuring proper hearing through regular exams.

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    Children born with cleft palate often experience speech problems such as delays in speech development and compensatory speech errors. Over half may require speech therapy, though most will achieve normal speech by age 5. Speech problems can include difficulties producing sounds and hypernasality from improper velopharyngeal closure. Therapy aims to teach correct tongue and lip movements, while surgery may help moderate to severe cases of improper velopharyngeal function. Parents can support speech by encouraging talking, working with therapists, and ensuring proper hearing through regular exams.

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    19 views2 pages

    Speech Development Related To Cleft Palate: Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD)

    Uploaded by

    Hamedullah
    Children born with cleft palate often experience speech problems such as delays in speech development and compensatory speech errors. Over half may require speech therapy, though most will achieve normal speech by age 5. Speech problems can include difficulties producing sounds and hypernasality from improper velopharyngeal closure. Therapy aims to teach correct tongue and lip movements, while surgery may help moderate to severe cases of improper velopharyngeal function. Parents can support speech by encouraging talking, working with therapists, and ensuring proper hearing through regular exams.

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    Speech Development Related to Cleft Palate

    It is common for children born with cleft


    palate or with cleft lip and palate to have
    speech problems at some time in their lives.
    Over half of these children will need speech
    therapy, however, most will develop normal
    speech by age 5. Typically, children with
    cleft lip only do not have speech problems
    related to clefting.

    What speech problems might


    children with cleft palate have?
    A child with cleft palate may have trouble with:
    Speech Sound Development
    Velopharyngeal Incompetence
    Hearing Loss

    Speech Sound Development:


    Children born with cleft palate may have a
    delay in the beginning of speech and
    development of speech sounds. In addition,
    children with cleft palate may produce
    speech errors that are directly related to
    clefting. These are called compensatory
    speech errors (please see the Cleft Palate
    Speech Glossary education sheet).
    Generally, it is expected that children will start
    making sounds between 2 and 3 months of age
    and babble (such as bababa, dadada) between 6
    and 10 months of age. Children typically start
    using real words (such as mama, dada) between
    12 and 14 months of age.
    The following is a general guideline for the
    age at which at which your child is expected
    to use sounds in words:
    By age 2:
    m, n, p, b, h
    3 4 years: t, d, k, g, w, y
    4 5 years: f
    5 7 years: s, z, v, sh, ch, th

    Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD)


    During speech, the goal is to have good
    airflow through the mouth for all speech
    sounds except m, n and ng. To direct air
    through the mouth, the soft palate (back part
    of the roof of the mouth) lifts and moves
    towards the back of the throat. This movement
    closes the opening between the mouth and the
    nose (see diagram). VPD happens when the
    opening between the mouth and nose is not
    closed properly and too much air leaks out of
    the nose during speech.
    All children who are born with cleft palate
    have velopharyngeal dysfunction resulting
    in hypernasality (too much airflow through
    the nose) until the cleft is repaired. After
    repair, some children still have
    velopharyngeal dysfunction. However, with
    additional intervention, most will have
    normal speech by age 5.

    Hearing Loss:
    Children with cleft palate are more likely to
    get fluid in the middle ear and infections.
    These may cause mild or moderate hearing
    loss. Because children learn to speak and
    understand language through hearing, it is
    very important that hearing concerns and ear
    health are closely watched.
    hard
    palate

    nasal cavity
    soft palate

    oral
    cavity
    (mouth)

    hard
    palate

    nasal cavity
    soft palate

    oral
    cavity
    (mouth)
    tongue

    tongue
    Soft palate while breathing

    Soft palate while speaking

    Speech Development Related to Cleft Palate


    Page 1 of 2

    What can be done about speech


    problems related to cleft palate?

    How can I help my child develop


    good speech?

    Speech therapy is an essential tool for


    children who have speech errors. The
    goal of therapy is to help a child learn to
    use his/her tongue and lips correctly.
    Therapy may also be an effective
    treatment option for mild hypernasality
    but it usually does not correct more
    serious velopharyngeal dysfunction. If
    speech therapy is recommended for your
    child, the Cleft Clinic speech
    pathologists will help you find speech
    services close to home.
    Speech Surgery, such as a pharyngeal
    flap or sphincter pharyngoplasty, may be
    recommended to correct moderate to
    severe velopharyngeal dysfunction. A
    surgery is a big decision and not a
    quick fix. Your child may need speech
    therapy before and after the procedure.
    The Cleft Clinic will work closely with
    you and your child to decide if surgical
    intervention may improve
    velopharyngeal closure for speech.
    Get regular ear and hearing exams
    even if you do not think that your child
    has a hearing loss. These exams are part
    of an annual Cleft Clinic visit but your
    child may require more care such as
    hearing aids, 6-month re-checks, and/or
    ear tubes. Good hearing is essential for
    good speech development.

    Talk to your child and provide languagelearning opportunities. Suggestions for


    home activities are given in the
    Patient/Parent Speech and Language
    Development handouts.
    Encourage your child to talk to you
    using his or her best speech.
    Work with your childs speech therapist
    to get home activities that are directly
    related to your childs therapy plan.
    Remember that to improve speech your
    child has to work on speech tasks.
    Blowing whistles or bubbles and sucking
    through straws will not improve
    velopharyngeal closure for speech.
    Schedule regular ear and hearing exams.
    If your child has hearing aids, make sure
    he or she is wearing them as often as
    possible.

    Questions?
    This sheet is not specific to your child, but
    provides general information. If you have
    any questions, please call the Cleft Clinic at
    (612) 813-6888. Additional resources:
    Cleft Palate Foundation
    (www.cleftline.org)
    Additional education sheets:
    o Resonance Disorders
    o Cleft Palate Speech Glossary
    o Speech Development
    For more reading material about this and
    other health topics, please call or visit the
    Family Resource Center library, or visit our
    Web site: www.childrensmn.org.
    Childrens Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
    Patient/Family Education
    2525 Chicago Avenue South
    Minneapolis, MN 55404 08/2010

    Speech Development Related to Cleft Palate


    Page 2 of 2

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