What to Expect at Your Visit

Diagnosis and treatment options

During the clinic visit, our speech-language pathologist will first evaluate your child’s speech. Once speech has been evaluated and the type and severity of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is assessed, the pediatric otolaryngologist and speech-language pathologist will evaluate the velopharyngeal inlet by performing a nasoendoscopy. A nasoendoscopy is a procedure in which a small flexible fiberoptic scope is inserted into your child’s nose to view the velopharyngeal inlet. You and your child will be able to see the exam on a video screen and we will review it with you after the exam is complete.

After the exam, our team will discuss with you the possible therapeutic and/or surgical options, and will work with you to provide a treatment plan. The goal of your clinic visit is to ensure a well-informed discussion and diagnosis of your child’s condition, so that you and your child will be fully prepared to pursue a successful course of treatment.