A respirometric technique for evaluating velopharyngeal closure in children.

Respirometric quotients, indices of velopharyngeal closure, were determined from oral and nasal air volumes measured separately but simultaneously. Ten children aged 6-10 years were the subjects. The quotients were significantly lower for speech stimuli involving nasal sounds than for those involving nonnasal sounds. In contrast to the quotients obtained in previous research with children, the quotients obtained in this study were close to, but not in excess of, unity.