Surgical speech disorders

Abstract

Most speech disorders of childhood are treated with speech therapy. However, two conditions, ankyloglossia and velopharyngeal dysfunction, may be amenable to surgical intervention. It is important for surgeons to work with experienced speech language pathologists to diagnose the speech disorder. Children with articulation disorders related to ankyloglossia may benefit from frenuloplasty. Children with velopharyngeal dysfunction should have standardized clinical evaluation and instrumental asseessment of velopharyngeal function. Surgeons should develop a treatment protocol to optimize speech outcomes while minimizing morbidity.

Keywords: Ankyloglossia; Frenotomy; Frenuloplasty; Furlow palatoplasty; Pharyngoplasty; Velopharyngeal dysfunction; Velopharyngeal insufficiency.