Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong 香港中文大學醫學院耳鼻咽喉

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong 香港中文大學醫學院耳鼻咽喉 — 頭頸外科學系 - Prof PEREIRA Valerie J.

Appointment

Assistant Professor
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, CUHK
Speech Therapist
The Institute of Human Communicative Research

Dr Pereira has been in the field of Cleft Lip +/- Palate and Craniofacial conditions for over 20 years. She was previously with the Supra-Regional Craniofacial Unit and subsequently joined the North Thames Regional Cleft Service, both based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (UK). She obtained her PhD from UCL Institute of Child Health (UK), investigating the impact of orthognathic surgery on speech outcomes. Dr Pereira is the current Chair of the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Conditions committee of the IALP International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She was an invited Faculty for the Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshops in Turkey (2021) and Brazil (2022) respectively and was on the Global Cleft Speech Task Force Committee for the International Confederation of Cleft Lip and Palate and Related Craniofacial Anomalies at the 14th International Cleft Congress held in Edinburgh this year. She was recently awarded a Health Medical and Research Fund (HK) grant for the “construction and validation of a comprehensive perceptual assessment of Cleft Palate Speech-Cantonese (PACS-C) for the evaluation of speech and velopharyngeal function in Cantonese-speaking children”.

Education

PhD Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health, London UK
MSc in Speech and Language Pathology and Therapy, University College London UK
B Soc Sc (Honours) in Psychology, National University of Singapore
B A in Psychology and Language, National University of Singapore

Research Interests

Cleft Lip and Palate, Craniofacial Dysostosis, Maxillary and Midfacial Advancement Surgery and Speech Outcomes, Perceptual and Instrumental Assessment of Resonance Disorders and Velopharyngeal Function, Speech Sound Disorders

Specialisations (Expertise)

Cleft Lip and Palate
Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
Orthognathic Surgery and Speech

Qualification

Nasendoscopy for Cleft Lip and Palate/Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
Certified user of Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented (CAPS-A)
International credentialing with Operation Smile

Award and Honour

Chair of the Craniofacial Dysmorphias and Related Syndromes Committee of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) (2021-2023)

Honorary Appointment

2013-2020 Honorary Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Hong Kong - Speech
Therapist for the Joint Cleft Clinic and Nasendoscopy Clinic
2019-2020 Honorary Clinical Educator (CLP Clinic), Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, HKU
2011- 2013 Honorary Speech and Language Therapist, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London UK

Professional Service

Journal Reviewer - Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, Journal of Speech Hearing and Language Research, Journal of Applied Science
Poster Adjudicator, The Joint Annual Scientific Meeting of the Hong Kong Paediatric Society, 29 September, 2019
Registered with Health Professionals Council HCPC (UK)
Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists RCSLT (UK)
Member of Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists
Cleft Lip and Palate International Speech Task Force

Academic Engagement

Invited Guest Lecturer (Cleft Lip & Palate/VPI) for the Master of Speech Therapy Programme (2017, 2018, 2020), The Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies
External Examiner for Student Projects SLP5116 for the Master of Science in Speech and Language Pathology Programme (2014, 2016, 2018), National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, The Division of Graduate Medical Studies

Selected Publications

Pereira, V., Tuomainen, J., Mars, M., Hay, N., Suchak, A., & Sell, D. (2020). Effect of maxillary osteotomy on speech in Cleft Lip and Palate: Instrumental outcomes of velopharyngeal function. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal. Accepted for publication.
Yiu, O.Y., Chan, C.S.S., Choi, K.Y. & Pereira, V.J. (2019). Cantonese-Cleft Speech Assessment Tool (C-CSAT) [Measurement instrument]. Hong Kong.
Sell, D. & Pereira, V. (2016). Speech: Perceptual and Functional Outcomes. In J. Losee and R. Kirsner (Eds.) Comprehensive Cleft Care. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group.
Pereira, V., Sell, D. & Tuomainen, J. (2013). The effect of maxillary osteotomy on speech in cleft lip and palate: Perceptual outcomes of velopharyngeal function. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 48(6), 640-650. (Runners-up prize 2013)
Pereira, V., Sell, D. & Tuomainen, J. (2013). The impact of maxillary osteotomy on speech outcomes in cleft lip and palate: An evidence based approach to evaluating the literature. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 50(1), 25-39.
Sell, D. & Pereira, V. (2011). Instrumentation in the Analysis of the Structure and Function of the Velopharyngeal Mechanism. In S. Howard & A. Lohmander (Eds.) Cleft Palate: Speech: Assessments and Intervention. Wiley-Blackwell Publishers UK.
Pereira, V., Sacher, P., Ryan, M. & Hayward, R. (2009). Dysphagia and Nutrition in Apert Syndrome. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 46(3), 285-291.
Pereira, V., Tuomainen, J., Ayliffe, P., Mars, M., Hay, N., Sell, D. (2009). An Acoustic Study of Sibilant /s/ Before and After Maxillary Advancement Surgery in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate. In Raposo do Amaral, C.E. and Albino de Amaral, A.B. (Eds.). 11th International Congress on Cleft Lip and Palate and Related Craniofacial Anomalies International Proceedings., pp.35-40, Medimond s.r.l. Monduzzi Editore, Bologna, Italy.
Pereira, V., Sell, D., Ponniah, A., Evans, R., Dunaway, D. (2008). Midface Osteotomy versus Distraction: The Effect on Speech, Nasality and Velopharyngeal Function in Craniofacial Dysostosis. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 45(4), 353-363.
Sell, D., Nayak, J., Cavalli, L., Cook, F., Masarei, A., Pereira, V., Price, K., Reilly, S., Ryan, M., Shipster, C. 2006. Speech and Language Therapy. In S. Strobel, S. Marks, P. Smith, M. Habbal & L. Spitz. (Eds.) The Great Ormond Street Colour Handbook of Paediatrics and Child Health. Manson Publishing, UK.
Pereira, V. (2004). Feeding in Syndromic Craniosynostosis. In Hayward R, Jones B, Dunaway D & Evans R (Eds). Craniosynostosis: A Multidisciplinary Approach. London: MacKeith Press.