Speech therapy is typically conducted by Speech-Language Pathologists, often referred to as  speech therapists. These professionals treat a wide range of issues, particularly those related to communication and swallowing. Speech-language therapy can be especially beneficial for children with a cleft palate, as speech therapists are highly trained to recognize and correct specific challenges caused by the cleft palate. For parents that have a child with a cleft, do not worry about accessibility as their are a variety of resources and an abundance of great speech-language pathologists with the aspirations and interests of their patients at heart, understanding of the needs of every patient. Cleft organizations have a variety of services for craniofacial care, such as MyFace, a non-profit organization “dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with craniofacial conditions by funding medical, surgical, [and] dental care”(MyFace). Fortunately, MyFace provides comprehensive care in a multidisciplinary setting for patients requiring reconstructive plastic surgery and offers craniofacial care centers, care teams, and even their very own MyFace Center.

Children born with a cleft palate may require a speech therapist to address issues such as articulation and resonance disorders. Between 50-70% of children with cleft palate will need speech therapy by preschool age, and it is key to understand that the earlier concerns are addressed, the easier they are to correct. Now, a resonance disorder relates to an unusual and excessive amount of nasal sound energy when the child is talking. Furthermore, the child may experience hypernasality, which makes them sound nasally, hyponasality, which makes them sound sick with a cold, and lastly a child may experience a combination of both at a moderate level.

Articulation and resonance disorders that are prevalent in children with a cleft palate include: Glottal stops, Nasal fricatives, Pharyngeal fricatives, and Mid-dorsum palatal stops.