Speech & Language Therapist

Who we are?

There are nine specialist Speech & Language Therapists working across the twin site cleft centres. As well as working at the main hospital site we also work at our Outreach bases in North Wales and Lancashire. We work closely with Speech & Language Therapists based in the community across our region.

There are a number of Speech & Language Therapists who had a special interest in cleft lip and palate. They may carry out some of our routine work but in close liaison with the centre team.

Our Role

We provide specialist speech and language assessment, management and advice to children and adults born with cleft lip and/or palate. We offer a similar service to clients referred with nasal sounding speech that is not associated with a cleft palate.

We see clients both individually and in clinics with other members of the multidisciplinary team. We also participate in specialist speech investigation clinics which involve videofluoroscopy (x-ray) and nasendoscopy to examine the way the soft palate is working during speech.

When we see clients?

Cleft Lip and Palate

We usually meet our patients born with cleft lip and/or palate when they attend their first multi-disciplinary clinic. Early intervention advice is provided after a child has had their cleft palate repaired. We routine see children for assessment in order to monitor their speech, language development and palate function when they are approximately:

18 months
3 years
5 years
10 years
15/18 years

In between these routine appointments we may offer additional reviews to monitor progress more closely.

Non-Cleft VPI

Patients may be referred for specialist assessments at any age if they present with nasal sounding (even though they do not have a cleft palate).

Treatment for speech problems is very often provided by speech and language therapists based in the community. We liaise closely with these colleagues offering joint appointments as appropriate.

Other aspects of our work: