Speech&Language Tx at CSC

For the past three months, Isobel and Theo, two newly qualified Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) from the United Kingdom, have been volunteering at  Children's Surgical Centre and other organizations in Phnom Penh. They are providing support to children with cleft lips, cleft palates, and hearing impairments. Cleft lips and palates are among the most common congenital conditions affecting children in Cambodia. These conditions occur when the tissues that form the lip or the roof of the mouth (palate) fail to join properly during fetal development. Many families lack the financial means to seek treatment, and awareness of these conditions is limited. As a result, children often live with untreated clefts, which can severely impact their ability to communicate and integrate into society. However, surgical interventions combined with speech therapy can significantly improve speech, language development, and overall quality of life. Isobel's and Theo's experience consisted of direct work with children as well as supporting parents to deliver these exercises at home, ensuring they get lots of practice. They also were able to observe critical surgical and orthodontic interventions that address functional and aesthetic concerns related to cleft lip and palate. Of course, CSC was their favorite organisation! This is what they had to say about their CSC experience:

"CSC provides many free cleft surgeries every year and many children require continued speech and language therapy. It’s been a pleasure to work with Dr. Samnang, CSC’s Speech Advisor, who has been a key part of this long-standing project. Adapting to a new culture, language, and healthcare system has been a rewarding challenge, and we’ve enjoyed meeting and supporting families from across the country. Every day has been different, and we've been grateful for the opportunity to further our knowledge and experience as clinicians. A huge thank you to the CSC team for making us feel so welcome. We’re excited to see how Speech and Language Therapy continues to grow in Cambodia!"

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