Speech/Resonance Disorders and Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Part 1

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Children with speech and resonance disorders (hypernasality, hyponasality, and cul-de-sac resonance) and/or nasal emission present challenges for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in all settings. This course is designed to provide current, practical information for SLPs who frequently or occasionally see clients with speech/resonance disorders and/or nasal emission due to cleft palate, non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction, or other causes.

This course will include a description of the velopharyngeal function and the types and causes of velopharyngeal dysfunction. Normal resonance will be described, and the characteristics of various resonance disorders will be discussed. The effect of velopharyngeal dysfunction on not just resonance, but also on airflow and speech production will be explained and demonstrated. Many short videos will be used for illustration.

Meet your instructor

Ann W. Kummer

Dr. Ann W. Kummer retired as senior director of the Division of Speech-Language Pathology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in September 2017. Under her direction, the speech-language pathology program at Cincinnati Children’s became the largest pediatric program in the nation and one of the most respected. Dr. Kummer remains…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. Normal Velopharyngeal (VP) Function and VP Dysfunction

The velopharyngeal valve is an important articulator for speech. It is responsible for directing both sound and airflow into the oral cavity for all oral speech sounds. This chapter will include a review of normal velopharyngeal function. In addition, there will be a description of the types of velopharyngeal dysfunction, which include velopharyngeal insufficiency, velopharyngeal incompetence, and velopharyngeal mislearning. Videos will be shown for illustration.

2. Normal Resonance and Resonance Disorders

The term “resonance,” as it refers to speech, is the modification of the sound from the vocal folds as it travels through the cavities of the vocal tract. This chapter will include a discussion of how resonance is modified by the size and shape of the pharyngeal cavity, oral cavity, and nasal cavity. This will be illustrated through simple “science experiments.” The characteristics of each type of resonance disorder will then be described and illustrated through videos.

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