ABSTRACT
If a child has a cleft palate, his or her speech should be assessed regularly by the
specialist speech and language therapist who works as part of the cleft palate team in
the hospital where the child’s surgery has taken place. Any therapy needed is often the
responsibility of the child’s local speech and language therapist, who will see the child
in school or at the local health centre. Each child should have an individual therapy
programme and it is helpful if the therapist can liaise with you so that you know, for
if you can reinforce (time permitting!) the work that the speech and language therapist
is doing, in class activities. For example, you might give one-to-one reading practice and
provide gentle reminders of a correct sound when the child is talking directly to you.
