VPI is treated with
surgery or a special speech appliance that your child wears in their mouth
. VPM is treated with speech therapy. VP incompetence is treated with speech therapy and sometimes with a speech appliance or surgery.
How is velopharyngeal insufficiency treated?
The treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency or velopharyngeal incompetence usually requires
a surgical procedure
(tonsillectomy, Furlow Z-plasty, pharyngeal flap, sphincter pharyngoplasty, or posterior pharyngeal wall implant).
How is VPI diagnosed?
The tests used in diagnosis of VPI may include:
Endoscopy, using a medical device with lights attached
that allow doctors to see inside the mouth. Videofluoroscopy, a type of X-ray that uses a liquid called barium to provide contrast that makes it easy for a doctor to examine the back of the mouth.
What does VPI have to do with cleft palate?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) happens when the velum (the soft palate) and nearby parts of the mouth can’t close itself to the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx separates the oral and nasal cavities. You use it to
make the sounds of consonants when you speak
.
What is the difference between velopharyngeal incompetence and insufficiency?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which is due to abnormal structure. Velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI), which is due to
abnormal movement
.
Is VPI genetic?
There are numerous candidate genes under investigation for the development of cleft palate, each resulting in mutations with the potential to cause VPI through structural or anatomic anomalies of the palate.
Can you have 2 Uvulas?
A
bifid uvula
, also known as a cleft uvula, is a uvula that is split in two. The distance between the two halves of the uvula may be narrow or wide. A bifid uvula may be an isolated, benign finding, or it may be related to submucous cleft palate.
What is Pierre Robin Syndrome?
Pierre Robin sequence is also known as Pierre Robin syndrome or Pierre Robin malformation. It is
a rare congenital birth defect characterized by an underdeveloped jaw, backward displacement of the tongue and upper airway obstruction
. Cleft palate is also commonly present in children with Pierre Robin sequence.
How common is VPI?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) can occur in the setting of an unrepaired or repaired cleft lip and palate. The rate of VPI has been
documented as high as 33% in
some studies with higher rates of recurrences following surgery associated with genetic syndromes
How does VPI affect speech?
When a child has VPI,
pressure cannot build up in the mouth
. Air escaping through the nose can sound like puffs, squeaks or snorts. Your child’s speech may be very soft. To learn more, see Early Sound Development in Children with a Cleft Palate (PDF) (Spanish).
What does VPI sound like?
When a child has VPI, the pressure consonants may
sound weak or muffled
. As air escapes through the nose, it may sound like puffs, squeaks or snorts.
How do you test for velopharyngeal closure?
- Endoscopy, using a medical device with lights attached that allow doctors to see inside the mouth.
- Videofluoroscopy, a type of X-ray that uses a liquid called barium to provide contrast that makes it easy for a doctor to examine the back of the mouth.
What causes Hypernasality?
Hypernasality is due to an abnormal opening between the nose and the mouth during speech. This is usually due to a form of velopharyngeal dysfunction (velopharyngeal insufficiency or velopharyngeal incompetence). Common causes include a
history of cleft palate or submucous cleft palate
.
What is VPI?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency
, or VPI, is a condition that occurs when the soft palate cannot close against the back wall of the throat during speech. With VPI, too much air escapes through the nose and results in hypernasal speech – like the voice is coming through the nose.
How do I strengthen my velum?
Puff
out your cheeks
with air; continue to breathe in and out of your nose. Try yourself, or get someone else, to press a finger against your inflated cheeks. Remember to keep your lips firmly together. Do not allow the air to escape through your mouth or nose.
What sounds does Velopharyngeal insufficiency affect?
When a child has VPI, the pressure consonants may sound weak or muffled. As air escapes through the nose, it may sound like
puffs, squeaks or snorts
.
