[A preliminary study on speech therapy for marginal velopharyngeal insufficiency]

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Medicine

Background:

• Marginal velopharyngeal insufficiency (MVPI) presents unique challenges in speech production.
• Effective therapeutic strategies for MVPI require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the characteristics and therapeutic outcomes for patients diagnosed with marginal velopharyngeal insufficiency (MVPI).
• To evaluate the efficacy of behavior and speech therapy in improving velopharyngeal function and speech intelligibility in MVPI patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of fifteen patients (10 males, 5 females; age 8-25 years) diagnosed with MVPI participated in the study.
• All participants underwent a comprehensive program of behavior therapy and speech therapy.
• Speech intelligibility and velopharyngeal function were assessed using the Chinese speech intelligibility test and blow test before and after the intervention period.

Main Results:

• All patients achieved satisfactory results following 12 to 20 weeks of targeted speech therapy.
• Post-therapy assessments demonstrated significant improvements in both speech intelligibility and velopharyngeal function compared to baseline measures.

Conclusions:

• Behavior and speech therapy are effective in treating marginal velopharyngeal insufficiency (MVPI).
• A course of therapy can lead to significant improvements in speech intelligibility and pronunciation, achieving good velopharyngeal closure.