A PROPOSAL FOR STANDARDIZATION OF SPEECH AND HEAVING EVALUATIONS TO ASSESS VELOPHARYNGEAL FUNCTION

The article comprises the proposal made by the Cleft Palate Committe o f IALP to standardize the parameters of the speech and hearing evaluat ion in individuals with cleft palate/velopharyngeal incompetence (CP/V PI). The suggested parameters are the following: nasal resonance: nasa l escape, articulation and its disorders, facial grimacing, speech int elligibility, patient teachability, expressive language and voice. The authors recommend a five-point scale description system, which can be used also for assessment of hearing, velopharyngeal competence and ot her attributes of the CP/VPI individual. The most important diagnostic procedures are: X-ray (video/cinefluoroscopy), nasopharyngoscopy, nas ometry; in dubious cases it is also fundamental to clarify the etiolog y with electrophysiological methods. The utilization of this proposal might contribute to a more accurate diagnosis and a more effective tre atment on an international basis.