Global Aspects of VPI

This 2012 ACPA Pre-Conference program is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding from the global perspective of the multidisciplinary care aspects of diagnosis, therapy, and surgery for the patient affected by velopharyngeal inadequacy.

Velopharyngeal inadequacy (incompetency, insufficiency, impairment), commonly referred to as VPI, is a condition that is familiar to professionals who deal with the cleft palate population.  VPI is manifested as a speech disorder that is diagnosed and treated using a number of different approaches.  This symposium is aimed at defining the scope of the condition and possibly avoiding the condition in the first place.  The causes that can lead to the problem will be explored and characteristics of the resulting speech disorder, when it does occur, will be evaluated.  Information about speech therapy procedures, prosthetics, and surgical methods in treating the condition will be provided.  Finally, ramifications of the disorder with regard to quality of life issues will be discussed.

Attendees will have a broad exposure to the many variables associated with VPI.  The presentations should lead to a clearer understanding of the underlying nature of the problem and the most common methods used to evaluate and treat the disorder when it occurs. The symposium is targeted to all providers involved in cleft/craniofacial care to help them achieve better outcomes for their patients.

Symposium Chairs:

David Kuehn, PhD
University of Illinois, Department of Speech and Hearing Science
Champaign, Illinois

Delora L. Mount, MD
University of Wisconsin, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Madison, Wisconsin

Symposium Faculty:

Gregory C. Allen, MD
The Children's Hospital, Aurora, Colorado

Adriane L. Baylis, PhD, CCC-SLP
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Lynn Marty Grames, MA
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri

Seunghee Ha, PhD
Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea

Bruce B. Horswell, MD, DDS, MS
FACES, Charleston, West Virginia

Richard Kirschner, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Ann W. Kummer, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Jeffrey L. Marsh, MD
Kids Plastic Surgery, St. Louis, Missouri

Felicity V. Mehendale, MBBS, MS
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Jamie L. Perry, PhD, CCC-SLP
East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

David J. Reisberg, DDS
The Craniofacial Center,The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Howard M. Saal, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Judith E. Trost-Cardamone, PhD
CSUN Dept. of Communication Disorders and Sciences, Northridge, California

David J. Zajac, PhD
Craniofacial Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina