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Background: Surgical treatment can reduces disfigurement for children with cleft lip/palate (CLP); however, most children have persistent speech and language problems especially if speech and language services are not available in underserviced and/or developing regions and countries. Children in such areas cannot reach appropriate and timely speech therapy services.
Objective: To establish a speech and language therapy model in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), by combining the principles of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Primary Health Care (PHC) and institutional medical approaches.
Material and Method: Participatory workshops during which a speech and language therapy model would be developed.
Results: A speech and language therapy model for children with CLP in Lao PDR was established based upon the existing healthcare system and regional context.
Conclusion: A speech and language therapy model should be implemented among children with CLP in Lao PDR as well as other developing countries where there is a paucity of speech and language therapy services.
Keywords: Speech therapy model, Speech service, Developing country