Resonance Disorders

Resonance disorders occur when there are changes in the way that air flows through the oral and nasal cavities as a result of abnormal opening, obstruction, or movement in the cavities. The oral and nasal cavities shape the airflow necessary for making specific speech sounds as it passes through the system. Resonance disorders are typically caused cleft palate, but can also be caused by apraxia, enlarged adenoids, and neurological disorders. People with resonance disorders may demonstrate weak consonant production, short utterance length, muffled speech quality, and too much or too little sound coming from the nose during speech. Speech-language therapy for resonance disorders will focus on targeting correct articulatory placement, teaching speech patterns, establishing oral airflow direction, and maximizing pressure build up for producing speech sounds.