Proposal appropriate for submission to this topic area include issues related to the assessment and intervention of children and adults with cleft palate and craniofacial conditions. Topics may include medical and educational factors that impact communicative function; interprofessional education, practice, and/or research that addresses the implementation of interprofessional competencies within curricular or practice models; in addition, the evaluation of collaborative care outcomes specific to craniofacial and velopharyngeal disorders should be included in this topic area.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to speech/resonance disorders in cleft lip/palate and related craniofacial disorders
• Basic science research with potential applicability to speech and/or resonance disorders in individuals with cleft lip/palate and related craniofacial or velopharyngeal disorders

Professional Education

• Feeding issues and swallowing disorders related to cleft lip/palate, craniofacial anomalies, and related syndromes
• Early intervention for children with cleft lip/palate, craniofacial anomalies, and related syndromes
• Evaluation and management of resonance and speech-language disorders related to cleft lip/palate, velopharyngeal dysfunction (non-cleft and cleft-related), craniofacial anomalies, and related syndromes
• Issues associated with the perceptual assessment of cleft palate speech and velopharyngeal dysfunction
• Role of instrumental and clinical imaging procedures (e.g., nasopharyngoscopy, MRI, speech videofluroscopy) for assessment and treatment of cleft-related speech and resonance disorders
• Treatment of speech sound disorders in children with cleft palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction
• Treatment (e.g., surgical, prosthetic) and speech outcomes for cleft palate and related craniofacial syndromes
• Psychosocial issues in patients with cleft lip/palate and related craniofacial disorders
• Ethics of service delivery for persons with cleft lip/palate and related craniofacial disorders
• Administrative and regulatory issues related to cleft palate speech and craniofacial disorders
• Innovative service delivery models for craniofacial and velopharyngeal disorders through telepractice technology
• Interprofessional education and practice as it relates to craniofacial and velopharyngeal disorders

Related Topics

Proposals involving this topic but have a primary focus on:

• Speech sound disorders unrelated to cleft palate or velopharyngeal dysfunction should be submitted to the Speech Sound Disorders in Children With Normal Hearing or Motor Speech Disorders Across the Lifespan topic areas.
• Resonance disorders unrelated to cleft lip/palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction should be submitted to the Voice and Upper Airway Issues topic area.
• Craniofacial and velopharyngeal disorders associated with head and neck cancer should be submitted to the Head and Neck Cancer Issues topic area.
• The use of telepractice in the delivery of service that include technology-based approaches and outcomes at the system level should be submitted to the Telepractice topic area.