Development of community-based speech therapy model: for children with cleft lip/palate in northeast Thailand.

BACKGROUND

Surgical treatment can reduce disfigurement for children born with cleft lip/palate, however, most children are left with speech and language problems. This creates a new problem as speech and language services is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To combine the principles of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Primary Health Care (PHC) and institutional medical approaches for reaching and treating speech disordered children with cleft lip and/ or palate in remote area.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The authors conducted the study from participatory workshops for development of a Community-Based Model.

RESULTS

Community-Based Speech Therapy Model for children with cleft lip/palate was established based on healthcare system.

CONCLUSION

Model can be implemented among children with cleft lip/palate for further process in Northeast and other areas of Thailand as well as developing countries where there is a limitation of speech therapy.