National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility and efficacy of expiratory muscle strength training to improve velopharyngeal closure in patients with velopharyngeal dysfunction and nasal air emissions. A single-arm trial will be conducted at a cleft craniofacial center at a tertiary children's hospital. Patients will perform Expiratory Muscle Strength Training for 6 to 8 weeks. Patients with reductions in nasal resonance during this time will be further randomized to EMST maintenance training for 6 months or no exercises.
Age
5–17
Sex
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
You may be eligible if
Score of 2 or greater on the nasality/resonance domain of the Pittsburgh Weighted Speech Scale
Ages 5-17 years
You may not be if
CAPS-A-AM hypernasality score \<2
Previous speech surgery (e.g. palatoplasty or pharyngeal flap for speech)
Speech surgery scheduled within the next 56 days
Unable or unwilling to perform the tests and exercises outlined in the study
Clareo Health | Expiratory Muscle Strength Training for Hypernasal Speech in Children
