Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies

Catalog description

This elective course includes the nature, etiology, embryology, assessment, and interprofessional medical and educational management of potential communication, resonance, and swallowing disorders experienced by individuals presenting with cleft lip, cleft palate, craniofacial anomalies, and velopharyngeal dysfunction across the lifespan. Specific genetic disorders and their medical, educational, social, and psychological implications for infants, preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and adults are discussed. Collaboration of the SLP with general education teachers to minimize speech, language and hearing deficits experienced in the classroom will be addressed. Specific instrumentation related to assessment and treatment of speech and resonance disorders will be introduced. Throughout course participation, an inclusive learning environment with an emphasis on the inherent dignity of everyone will be emphasized and practiced, with principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) embedded as foundational to clinical education and practice. Dimensions of diversity can include race, age, gender identity, expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, cognitive and physical ability, education, learning ability, socioeconomic class, income, faith and/or non-faith beliefs, primary and/or second language, family or marital status and other individual differences.