A dedicated team of three PhD professors and two second-year graduate students from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Mesa, Arizona, recently embarked on an impactful journey to the Philippines. Their mission: to work to support children with cleft palate and their families through speech therapy, parental education, and professional training.

Kicking Off with Education in Cebu

Shortly after arriving, the team traveled to Cebu Doctors’ University, where they presented a lecture on the “Quick Test of Resonance,” also known as the mirror test. This diagnostic tool helps identify hypernasal speech and nasal air emission in children with cleft palate. The session was attended by 30 students and faculty and included a hands-on workshop where participants practiced using mirrors to observe resonance in each other’s speech.

First Clinic Day: Screening and Support

On their first clinic day, the team screened 103 children. They also offered early language development tips for babies and feeding strategies for children with cleft conditions. In one-on-one conversations, they educated families about the causes of cleft palate, while also learning about the beliefs and understandings of the parents. These discussions continued throughout their stay.

Ongoing Care During Surgery Days

During each of the eight surgery days, the team evaluated children scheduled for procedures, offering pre-operative speech therapy, parent education, and feeding instruction. Families received continued support after surgery, including a review of recommendations, answers to lingering questions, and referrals to local speech-language pathologists for ongoing care.

Community Engagement and Training

The speech-language pathologists also hosted a well-attended community lecture with nearly 50 participants—including Rotarians, Rotaplast team members, hospital volunteers, community speech-language pathologists, and Cebu Doctors’ University faculty. They offered a special observation and training opportunity for 15 local speech-language professionals.

One of the highlights of the trip was providing therapy for children who had received cleft palate surgeries in previous years through Rotaplast. Thanks to the coordination efforts of Abounding In Love, approximately 40 children returned for speech therapy sessions, and two underwent additional nasoendoscopy evaluations.

Advancing Care with Nasoendoscopy

This year’s visit marked an exciting advancement: the team performed six nasoendoscopic examinations to assess the structure and function of the velopharyngeal mechanism. These evaluations play a crucial role in determining the best surgical interventions to optimize speech outcomes for children with cleft conditions.

Through their time, expertise, and compassion, the A.T. Still University team made a lasting impact—helping children find their voices and empowering families and professionals with knowledge and hope for the future.

Learn more about the impact of Rotaplast’s Global Scholars program at https://rotaplast.org/2025/04/rotaplast-international-global-scholars/.