VELOPHARYNGEAL INSUFFICIENCY

Course overview

VELOPHARYNGEAL DYSFUNCTION (VPD) IS A DISORDER OF THE VELOPHARYNGEAL (VP) SPHINCTER OR VALVE, WHICH FUNCTIONS TO SEPARATE THE NASAL AND ORAL CAVITIES DURING SPEECH, SWALLOWING, VOMITING, BLOWING, AND SUCKING. THE OVERALL RESULT IS DECREASED SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY AND SIGNIFICANT FUNCTIONAL AND SOCIAL IMPAIRMENT. TO IMPROVE PATIENT FUNCTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE, IT MUST BE PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED AND TREATED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF VELOPHARYNGEAL DYSFUNCTION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.