Our speech therapists currently mainly serve children with heart diseases, cancer, cleft lip and palate, metabolic diseases, and autoimmune diseases etc., helping them overcome the associated communication and swallowing problems. For example, certain cardiac surgeries may cause vocal cord palsy and increase swallowing risk, while patients with brain tumor may experience swallowing or communication problems like dysphasia. Previous studies show that side effects from brain tumor may appear five years after active treatment, so the team has extended the follow-up period to ten years to provide timely intervention.

▲The team has participated in developing this Cantonese cleft speech assessment tool for more standardized and effective service. It also facilitates related clinical research.

Speech therapists also closely collaborate with other clinical departments to conduct different investigations for making diagnosis, such as fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and nasopharyngoscopy.

▲During videofluoroscopic swallow study, patients are instructed to eat food mixed with barium or iodinated contrast, and their oral and laryngeal muscle coordination while chewing and swallowing will be captured by X-ray.

▲In this video game, patients need to swallow or phonate according to specific requirement in order to survive. The fun element helps enhance training compliance.