How do you assess Hypernasal speech?

How do you assess Hypernasal speech?

Feel sides of nose for vibration that might accompany perceived hypernasality. Alternately pinch and then release the nose (sometimes referred to as the cul-de-sac test or nasal occlusion) while individual produces a speech segment—a change in resonance indicates hypernasality.

What does a nasally voice mean?

Nasal speech broadly refers to a person’s voice sounding like it has too much or too little air in the nose. Oftentimes, it’s challenging for listeners to tell the difference between these two characteristics, although technically they’re at opposite ends of a spectrum.

Which speech sounds are the most affected with Hyponasality?

Hypernasality

  • Perceived when there is excessive nasal resonance, typically on vowels, glides, liquids, and, in severe cases, voiced oral consonants (e.g., /b/, /d/, and /ɡ/).
  • High vowels (/u, i/) are most susceptible to effects of hypernasality and are often the first vowels in which the listener notices its presence.

What does Hypernasal speech sound like?

Hypernasality occurs when too much sound resonates (vibrates) in the nasal cavity (nose) during speech. This type of resonance makes the patient sound as if he or she is talking through the nose. When there is severe hypernasality, other abnormal speech characteristic can occur.

What are high pressure consonants?

Some other consonants can be produced without velopharyngeal closure, including “h,” “w,” “y,” “l” and “r.” The rest of the consonants are referred to as pressure consonants because they require buildup of air pressure in the mouth to produce normal sounds.

What does Hypernasal sound like?

Hypernasal speech is the sound of speech that results from too much air escaping through the nose while talking. There are certain letters and sounds that should not have air escaping through the nose during speech. Examples of these are vowels, or letters like “s”, “b”, and “k”.

Why does my child speak nasally?

Hypernasal speech is typically associated with a medical condition called velopharyngeal dysfunction, or VPD. VPD is typically diagnosed in children in the preschool or school-age years, but it can also be present in adults due to acquired or neurologic causes.

What can cause Hypernasal speech?

Hypernasal speech can be caused by anything resulting in velopharyngeal incompetence. Clefting (splitting) of the roof of the mouth (CLEFT PALATE), a palate that is too short, or the inability to move muscles involved with closure of the velopharyngeal complex (as in cerebral palsy) can cause hypernasal speech.

Why does my child sound nasally?

What happens if hypernasal speech is identified?

If hypernasal speech is identified, an x-ray study is done to help localize the problem area and referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist occurs. What will an ear, nose and throat specialist do?

What is hypernasality and how is it documented?

With a sample loaded with non-nasal phonemes, hypernasality will be documented as a higher number and is compared to an established normal. It is rated as the number of standard deviations from the mean.

What causes hypernasal speech in cleft palate?

Hypernasal speech may result from unrepaired cleft palates, significant oronasal fistulae, or velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI). VPI results from poor function of the levator veli palatini, from the inadequate repair or tethering of the palate, or from a deep posterior pharyngeal wall with a relatively short palate.

What is the difference between hyponasal speech and resonance?

Both of these speech disorders are known as disorders of resonance (problems regulating the amount of air leaving the mouth and/or nose). Hyponasal speech is the sound of speech that results from too little air escaping through the nose (sounds like talking with a stuffy nose). It would be hard to normally pronounce the letter “m” for example.