Speech Therapy

Speech therapy after cleft lip/cleft palate surgery is crucial for children as they learn how to properly use their repaired palate to produce clear speech sounds. During our Medical Missions, we provide our patients with this much-needed support.

After surgery, our volunteer speech therapists introduce patients to blowing exercises, either with bubbles or feathers, which are designed to help them direct air forcefully out of their mouth, strengthening the muscles in the soft palate to improve speech by minimizing nasal air leakage. Patients also take time practicing tricky sounds and words with the Speech Therapist that they likely struggled with prior to their procedure.

Our volunteer speech therapists give each patient’s family helpful information to take home to aid in practicing their new speech skills. Additionally, as an organization, we provide each patient with follow-up speech therapy at local partner organizations for up to two years.