“For me, this course not only opened the door to a new specialization but also brought a life-changing turning point,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Minh, a trainee of the speech and language therapy training course organized by MCNV at the end of June 2025 as part of the Inclusion IIb Project.
My name is Nguyen Thi Kim Minh. I am currently working as a rehabilitation technician at Hoai An District Health Center (former Binh Dinh province).
In July 2024, after a right styloidectomy surgery, I encountered difficulties in communication and daily activities. I began to speak with a lisp. Eating became a struggle; I had reflux with food and liquid coming back up through my nose, similar to those with a cleft palate.
No matter how hard I tried to repeat myself, people could not get what I meant. I lost my confidence and became frustrated. My colleagues had to handle all the communication with my patients on my behalf. I even avoided verbal communication with family and friends.
Ms. Kim Minh provides rehabilitation service for a patient.
I went to various healthcare facilities and consulted numerous specialists, but no one could figure out the cause. I found it so disheartening and exhausting to be a rehabilitation technician myself but unable to find a solution for my own problems.
By researching, I had a vague idea that certain Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) techniques could help my condition. However, SALT services were mainly available in big cities, which made them very difficult for me to access.
In June 2025, I was informed of a training course for health professionals on SALT, jointly organized by MCNV and Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (UMP) within the Inclusion IIb project. As a rehabilitation technician, I thought this would be helpful for my work and also saw it as a chance to seek a solution to my own problems. I quickly registered and was fortunate to be one of the 30 health professionals selected to participate in the course.
During the five-day course (June 25-29, 2025), I acquired so much valuable knowledge. We learned how to communicate with children with autism in theory and participated in preclinical and clinical practice. The learning process was so enjoyable under the thorough guidance of two dedicated instructors, who meticulously answered every question we had.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Minh (second from left) during a group discussion of the 5-day speech and language therapy course.
When I shared my personal struggle, Ms. Luong Thi Cam Van, the Vice Head of the Rehabilitation Department, Head of the SALT Division, Da Nang UMP, spent time to assess my situation. It turned out that my lisping and choking were due to a weak soft palate and pharyngeal muscles, leading to the sounds being emitted nasally, making eating and drinking difficult as well.
After a thorough assessment, Ms. Van guided me through a series of specific SALT exercises, such as practicing precise pronunciation and combining exercises with the purpose of improving awareness and distinguishing the difference between the high-pressure sounds like /b/, /p/, /k/, and /t/ with my nose blocked and unblocked. The exercises were designed to strengthen the muscles involved in closing the soft palate, which helped me gradually learn to navigate airflow through my mouth instead of my nose, reducing nasal air leakage.
I diligently followed her instructions. I recalled how I used to encourage my own patients to be persistent with their physical therapy, and I told myself: “Be perseverant, you’ll see the change!” With that in mind, I dedicated myself to practicing pronunciation every morning, every night, and whenever I had a free moment, without missing a single day.
I could see my improvement with each passing day. After just one week, my condition had significantly improved. Within 20 days, I had fully recovered my ability to speak and swallow. My pronunciation was clear, the lisp was gone, and I no longer worried about choking. My life was back to normal as if I had never had any difficulties with communication and daily activities.
On the day I realized my miraculous recovery, it felt so incredible that I could not sleep. It all felt like a dream, as I had never believed a full recovery was possible. Not just me, but everyone around me – my family, friends, and colleagues – were astonished and overjoyed. If I hadn’t told them, new acquaintances wouldn’t even know I once struggled with communication. To this day, I still maintain a regular exercise routine to ensure the recovered muscles don’t weaken again.
Ms. Luong Thi Cam Van (far right) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Minh (third from right) at the course closing ceremony.
I am so grateful to Ms. Van and feel incredibly lucky to have participated in the MCNV’s training. My personal experience has shown me the miraculous impact of SALT and the profound meaning of rehabilitation for those struggling with the same challenges.
My personal experience with SALT is now an endless driving force pushing me forward in my continuous learning journey. I will try my best to improve my professional skills so that I can help others facing obstacles in communication and daily living achieve the same life-changing progress that Ms. Van helped me realize.
About Inclusion IIb Project:Sponsor: The US Government
Owner: National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET)
Manager: Humanity & Inclusion Vietnam (HI)
Implementing partner: Medisch Comité Nederland – Vietnam (MCNV).
For many years, we’ve made a real difference together in the lives of people in Vietnam. Thanks to ongoing commitment and perseverance from our donors and other sponsors, countless families have been able to make a fresh start. Now, it’s time to take the next step.
