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Airflow Exercises

Patients should advance through levels as they master the level before at 80% accuracy. Many patients will be able to complete level 2 at the onset, but will need practice to be more consistent with it. The more you practice the faster you will improve. Your goal is to increase airflow with your voice and to relax the muscles. This will allow an easier more resonant voice to emerge with practice.

LIP BUBBLES:

Directions:

Take a DEEP BREATH and immediately blow out through lips as if you are blowing out your birthday candles. Make sure to relax your lips and you may need to put hands on cheeks and push them slightly forward.

*** DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH IN BETWEEN YOUR INHALE AND YOUR LIP BUBBLE*

Levels                                                                                                                          

  1. 10 times: Deep breath and immediately blow out with a lip bubble with AIR ONLY,  no voice…keep the airflow smooth.
  2. 20 times: Deep breath and immediately blow out with a lip bubble with AIR and VOICE…keep the airflow and sound smooth.
  3. 20 times: Deep breath and lip bubble with VOICEand glide up to a whoop
  4. 20 times: Deep breath lip bubble with VOICE and glide down to an ahhhhh
  5. 20 times: Deep breath and immediately blow out with a lip bubble with AIR and VOICE and VARY your PITCH like a SIREN…low to high to low.  Do not try to reach the extremes of your vocal range, just the few notes around your middle pitch.

STRAW BUBBLES: 

Directions:

Take a deep breath and blow through straw into a small bottle of water or cup of water. Keep breath stream smooth and consistent and not choppy. Keep chin up and looking forward.

  1. 10 times: Deep breath and blow bubbles through straw with AIR ONLY.
  2. 20 times: Deep breath and blow bubbles with AIR AND VOICE at a air & add voice………….medium pitch, keep smooth and steady, not choppy.
  3. 20 times: Deep breath and blow bubbles through straw with a siren pitch (low to high to low) Keep smooth and steady.
  4. 20 times: Deep breath Blow bubbles with voice and slowly drop cup.
  5. 20 times: Deep breath blow bubbles with air and voice, drop cup then pull straw from mouth, should easily blend into a smooth easy “ooooo”.

GARGLES:

Take a DEEP BREATH and then a small sip of water. Relax your jaw and slowly open your mouth wider while gargling with a slight head tilt backwards. Keep the air flowing the whole time.

Directions:

Take a DEEP BREATH and gently tilt your head back just a little and gargle a TINY sip of water, relax your jaw to be an a very open wide mouth posture. Open the back of the throat and gargle.

  1. 10 Times: Deep breath and Gargle air only, no voice, keep it smooth and not choppy.
  2. 20 times: Deep breath and Gargle with air and voice at a medium pitch, keep it smooth for 5-10 seconds.
  3. 20 times: Deep breath and Gargle with voice and glide up.
  4. 20 times: Deep breath and Gargle with air and voice with a varying siren pitch, low to high to low.

Questions? Call UMMC Speech-Language Pathology 601-815-6064.

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