Resonance disorders: what ASHA says SLPs do, beyond cleft palate
ASHA’s Practice Portal states: “Resonance disorders are not voice disorders, although they are often mislabeled as such.” It lists SLP roles for resonance disorders in people without a cleft, including assessment, imaging studies, and referral to a craniofacial or cleft palate team. This page quotes ASHA only.
Quoted from official pages checked November 12, 2026. Confirm current information on those sites. This page is not medical advice and does not describe any patient’s care.
Source read on November 12, 2026: ASHA’s Practice Portal page Resonance Disorders.
ASHA’s Practice Portal pages are written for clinicians. Quotes below stop before ASHA’s in-text research citations.
What resonance is
ASHA states: “The scope of this page is resonance disorders in children and adults.” And: “The velopharyngeal valve is integral to achieving appropriate speech resonance; however, other aspects of the vocal tract also contribute to perceived resonance.” Cleft-related care is on cleft lip and palate, and voice care on voice disorders.
Roles for SLPs (noncleft populations)
ASHA says that “In cases of resonance disorders in other (noncleft) populations, appropriate roles for SLPs include, but are not limited to, the following”. Among them:
- “Differentially diagnosing resonance disorders.”
- “Collaborating with physicians and/or the cleft craniofacial team to determine etiology.”
- “Referring to a craniofacial or cleft palate team for further assessment of individuals with suspected velopharyngeal dysfunction (with or without cleft palate).”
- “Contributing to decisions about the management of resonance disorders, including behavioral speech therapy, as well as surgical and prosthetic treatments.”
- “Developing treatment plans, providing treatment, documenting progress, and determining appropriate dismissal criteria.”
ASHA also lists conducting and interpreting imaging studies of the velopharynx during speech, when indicated (paraphrased).
What this page does not do
It does not repeat ASHA’s causes, prevalence figures, or assessment procedures. It is not medical advice and does not recommend any treatment, device, or product. Scope of practice is set by state law; check your state board.