Critical Review: What are the effects of intensive speech therapy intervention for speech outcomes in children with cleft lip and palate?

This critical review examines the speech outcome of children with cleft palate in relation to the intensity of speech therapy received. Overall, research suggests that intensive speech therapy may be more beneficial than conventional speech therapy at reducing articulation errors. Furthermore, there is support in the literature that intensive speech therapy may reduce the cost of treatment and decrease the total hours of speech therapy required. The findings of this review includes suggestions for further research and clinical implications relevant to practicing speech-language pathologists.