Many children with a repaired cleft palate will need speech therapy services at some point in their development.
Always pick a cleft palate team to monitor your child
Children with a cleft palate need routine, interdisciplinary care that involves a variety of professionals. A plastic surgeon, speech-language pathologist, and orthodontist are the three core disciplines needed for cleft palate team treatment. Many other specialty areas play a role in treatment as well—audiology, psychology, otolaryngology (ENT), dental, prosthodontics, and social work often collaborate to ensure good outcomes for kids with cleft palate.
How do I pick a speech therapist for my weekly sessions?
Because many families travel a distance to visit their cleft palate team for annual team appointments, it might be impossible to participate in weekly speech therapy with the cleft team therapist. As a result, there is often a second SLP who is more conveniently located closer to the child who can effectively provide regular therapy sessions.
The local, treating therapist, should collaborate with the team therapist to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Is the therapist willing to work with the team?
Children with cleft palate will undergo a number of surgeries and require dental and orthodontic work to get the best outcomes. Working with a speech-language pathologist who is willing to talk with the team SLP and discuss the short-term and long-term goals for treatment may be the most important consideration.
Is the therapist easy to get to and affordable?
Schedules are so busy, and depending on how frequently your child needs therapy, you may find yourself spending a lot of time going to and from the therapist’s clinic.
Additionally, there are a number of factors that affect how much you may pay for therapy.
Paying for Therapy Services
If you do have health insurance coverage for speech therapy services, finding a provider who’s in network often makes sense to give you the most savings.
Teletherapy for cleft palate speech
Teletherapy is another good option for private speech therapy for kids with cleft palate. A number of companies offer lower prices than traditional in-person private therapy.
Conclusion
Overall, there are many good options for speech therapy for kids with cleft palate. And, while most kids with cleft palate will need speech therapy at some point in their lives, their overall prognosis for great speech with close monitoring and regular therapy is strong.