Patients and patients and patients!

Things are very busy at the CSC. This week we have seen 20 patients. We now give out dental care advice and toothbrushes and paste, as well as advice about cleft,operations,feeding and speech and langauge development. We have also had great success taking patients to the All Ears Clinic - one patient who has made large gains in therapy (improving his articulation of t/k/s) will now be treated for the ear infection causing his mild-moderate hearing loss.

We are continuing to provide lectures and materials for our trainee Cleft Speech Advisor at the CSC, and have met his counterpart at the National Paediatric hospital who we will begin working with soon. Kieran and I also delivered training to the surgical team at the CS. We want to try to establish a well-functioning cleft team and hopefully provide useful and appropriate information to the surgeons, as well as increase their knowledge of speech issues in cleft.

As well as the long days at the CSC, we've also established a presence in the Rabbit School and Nutrition Centre. I had my first experience of feeding a child who has severe Cerebral Palsy and was able to establish a safer feeding position for them in conjunction with the physio staff. Much of our time is spent interacting with the children in the orphanage to alleviate a bit of the "four white walls" boredom. We're also happy to change nappies and blow endless bubbles if we can coax a smile from a tiny mouth. At the Rabbit School, more work has been done to provide some children with communication boards, enabling them to make choices and participate more fully in activities. Hopeully we can pass on some useful ideas to the teachers who are fantastic at making resources!