Training assistants in cleft palate speech therapy in the developing world: a report

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• International Health
• Medical Training

Background:

• Cleft palate speech therapy requires specialized training.
• Developing countries often face unique challenges in healthcare education.
• Sri Lanka presented a specific context for this speech therapy training initiative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the training of speech therapy assistants in Sri Lanka for cleft palate care.
• To analyze the adaptation of training objectives and selection criteria.
• To identify factors influencing training success and challenges in a developing country context.

Main Methods:

• Training program implementation in Sri Lanka.
• Description of training objectives, syllabus, curriculum, and evaluation methods.
• Analysis of cultural, political, and clinical factors impacting training.

Main Results:

• Five speech therapy assistants were trained in cleft palate speech therapy.
• Modifications to initial training plans were necessary based on local context.
• Key factors influencing training ease and difficulty were identified.

Conclusions:

• Training speech therapy assistants in developing countries presents unique cultural, political, and clinical challenges.
• Adaptability in training programs is crucial for success in international contexts.
• The study provides insights into effective speech therapy assistant training for cleft palate care in resource-limited settings.