The Use of Nonspeech Oral Motor Exercises in the Treatment of Children With Cleft Palate: A Re-Examination of Available Evidence.

Purpose The purpose of this tutorial is to re-examine the current literature on nonspeech oral motor exercise (NSOME) in general and its use in the treatment of children with cleft palate specifically and provide a best practice recommendation. Method The process was used to investigate the clinical question. This systematic framework identifies the clinical population, evaluates the intervention(s) applied to the population, assesses the results of interventions, and delineates the outcome.

Parent Perceptions of Initial Feeding Experiences of Children Born With Cleft Palate in a Rural Locale.

Background And Hypothesis: An early problem frequently present in infants born with cleft lip (CL), cleft lip and palate (CLP), or cleft palate (CP) is difficulty feeding. In many cases, health-care professionals are not familiar with the appropriate feeding techniques and unable to instruct parents correctly. This problem can be particularly significant in rural areas where health-care resources are limited and children with clefts are seen on an infrequent basis.

Does experience in talking facilitate speech repetition?

Speech is unique among highly skilled human behaviors in its ease of acquisition by virtually all individuals who have normal hearing and cognitive ability. Vocal imitation is essential for acquiring speech, and it is an important element of social communication. The extent to which age-related changes in cognitive and motor function affect the ability to imitate speech is poorly understood.

An examination of nonspeech oral motor exercises for children with velopharyngeal inadequacy.

The velopharyngeal closure mechanism is the articulator that separates the oral and nasal cavities during speech and swallowing. Articulation and resonance may be adversely affected if velopharyngeal inadequacy (VPI) is present. VPI is generally corrected through surgery or speech prosthetics.

Nonspeech oral motor treatment issues related to children with developmental speech sound disorders.

Purpose: This article examines nonspeech oral motor treatments (NSOMTs) in the population of clients with developmental speech sound disorders. NSOMTs are a collection of nonspeech methods and procedures that claim to influence tongue, lip, and jaw resting postures; increase strength; improve muscle tone; facilitate range of motion; and develop muscle control. In the case of developmental speech sound disorders, NSOMTs are employed before or simultaneous with actual speech production treatment.

Macroglossia: a case study.

Unlabelled: A young child with macroglossia of unknown cause was seen for treatment to modify resting tongue posture and improve speech sound production. Evaluation of the treatments indicated positive change in resting tongue posture and a modest change in speech sound production. Treatment for such patients can be complex and must consider orthodontic and/or surgical interventions, because an enlarged tongue can influence growth, development, and physiology of the oropharyngeal complex.