Hypernasality Speech Therapy: Treatment Ideas for Hypernasal Speech

Hypernasality occurs when a child speaks with too much nasal resonance.  Airflow tends to be directed up into the nasal cavity during speech instead of primarily through the oral cavity.  Nasal emission is when that air comes all the way out through the nose.  This can make a puffing or noisy sound in the nose during speech.  Here are the steps for therapy for both hypernasality and nasal emission.

Listen to the Podcast on Hypernasality Speech Therapy:

Hypernasality Speech Therapy Goals:

Check out this sample goal for hypernasality speech therapy!  Keep in mind, you should modify this goal to meet the needs of each individual client or patient that you’re working with:

The patient will demonstrate appropriate oral and nasal resonance during a 30 minute unstructured conversation in 2 speaking settings with no more than 2 instances of hypernasality.

Therapy Phases for Hypernasality Speech Therapy:

1. Refer to ENT: All clients who exhibit voice issues should be referred to an ENT first to check the structures and functions and be cleared for therapy. If hypernasality is present, it may be secondary to a cleft palate and would need to be addressed first.


2.  Discriminate Between Oral Vs. Hypernasal: The client will be able to discriminate between appropriate oral resonance and hypernasality during speech after listening to a speaker (live or recorded) 85% of the time independently on 3 out of 4 data collection days.


3. Technique Practice: After the effective technique has been identified in therapy, the client will practice that  technique.


4. Oral Resonance in Vowels: The client will use oral resonance when saying vowels  80% of the time with no more than 2 cues on 3 out of 4 data collection days.


5. Oral Resonance in Words: The client will use oral resonance in words  80% of the time with no more than 2 cues on 3 out of 4 data collection days.


6. Oral Resonance in Phrases : The client will use oral resonance in phrases  80% of the time with no more than 2 cues on 3 out of 4 data collection days


7. Oral Resonance in Sentences: The client will use oral resonance in sentences 80% of the time with no more than 2 cues on 3 out of 4 data collection days.


8. Oral Resonance when Reading: The client will use oral resonance when reading aloud independently 80% of the time with no more than 2 cues on 3 out of 4 data collection days.


9. Oral Resonance in Conversation: The client will independently u