TalkTools

Ask a Therapist: Adult Patients with Velopharyngeal Closure

Hello, I am a Speech Pathologist from the Pittsburgh area.  Could you tell me what you use as far as horns so that I may incorporate them into my therapy sessions.  I see stroke patients who have issues without velopharyngeal closure, and wanted to try your techniques. Thank you so much!

Hi, Your email came at a very good time as I am just finishing my new book on using Oral Placement Therapy with adults. One of the chapters addresses the issue of VPI and how horns can be used in a hierarchy to improve mobility in the velum. The Horn Blowing Hierarchy develops a supported oral airflow and is a pre-requisite for direct work on velar mobility.  The real way to improve closure is by using the exercise called “Oral-Nasal Contrasts.”

Although the book will not be published for at least six months you can learn about these activities in my first book Oral Placement Therapy for Speech Clarity and Feeding. That book would give you the step-by-step instructions for how to progress through the horns and then how to implement the “Oral-Nasal Contrasts” program.

I hope this has answered your question but if not please feel free to email me again.

Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson

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