I was fortunate to visit the Bredtvet Resource Centre in Oslo that provides specialist assessment and intervention services for children and adults with communication needs across Norway. In addition, they aim to contribute to develop knowledge via research. In 2009 there were 33 speech therapists, 6 psychologists, 8 pedagogues, 1 physiotherapist, 2 ENT doctors, 1 dentist and 2 linguists working at the Resource Centre.
I watched an intervention session in Norwegian with a 6-year-old boy who was an excellent skateboard rider and had difficulties producing consonants as a result of his cleft lip and palate. Marianne Moe and Jorunn Lemvik conducted the session.
Anne Berit Andreassen, the head of the department focussing on cleft lip and palate, voice, aphasia and dysarthria, provided a lot of information about how logopedia (speech pathology) in Norway developed as a part of special education, and how assessment and intervention is predominately free for all people who need it. We compared the problems for accessing rural services in Norway vs. Australia.
I also met Kristin Billaud Feragen and Ase-Marie Bergfall, who have just published an excellent book titled "Albin og Luna: Det Mystiske Speilet" a story book about two children with cleft lip and palate. It also contains information about cleft lip and palate, professionals who work with children and what to say to others if you have a cleft lip and palate.
