Question:
I’m a 16-year-old girl that is constantly made fun of about my nasally voice and my lisp. Somehow I just can’t lower the back of my tongue to lose the nasality; I’m too used to it raised high. I already went to a speech coach for my lisp and well that didn’t work at all. Is there any other way I can lose my nasality and lisp and not be made fun of anymore at school for this problem. Or, is there anyway I can get the back of my tongue lower?
Answer:
First, I want you to know how saddened I am to learn of your experience and what you must endure. As you move through your life and meet more mature people you hopefully will not be treated like this. Meanwhile, I don’t know why the work with the speech therapist didn’t help. One of the things is that it can takes hours, months and even years to change things. One must practice every day and for substantial periods of time. If you have been working for several months and practicing diligently, and still find you are unable to correct the problems, you must try different therapists or voice teachers until you find what you need. You might also see an Ear-Nose-Throat doctor to make sure that everything is normal structurally. These doctors often work with voice therapists and might be able to recommend someone who can better help you.