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Velo-Cardial Facial Syndrome and Voice Volume

Michelle Harmon, Ph.D

January 21, 2008

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Question

I would appreciate some therapy techniques for a teenage girl (grade 10) with Velo-Cardial Facial Syndrome. She produces speech sounds in connected speech under normal circumstances. Her voice volume is usually very low. When her volume escalates, her

Answer

If speech intelligibility is not a problem under normal circumstances, I am not sure we have a problem for the public school or that medical attention is necessary. If no effects of an insufficient valuing system due to velopharyngeal incompetence (such as nasal emissions) are noted under normal speaking conditions then, I really do not see a problem. If required to increase loudness, I would suggest the use of an amplification system when the velopharyngeal mechanism is unable to perform adequately under the stress of increased volume. If volume is frequently an issue, personal amplification systems are available.

Dr. Harmon is an Associate Professor on the graduate faculty at Mississippi University for Women. She currently teaches graduate courses in Fluency Disorders, Phonological and Articulatory Disorders, and Voice Disorders. Dr. Harmon has been an invited speaker in the area of stuttering therapy with state and regional associations and with Northern Speech Services across the country.


michelle harmon

Michelle Harmon, Ph.D


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