Hands-free speaking
When a voice prosthesis has been placed, a so-called automatic or hand-free speech valve can be used, which is placed in a tracheostoma plaster. However, this cannot be done for everybody.
The drawback of prosthesis speech described above is that one always needs a hand during speech. This limits activities, but the closing of the stoma with the hand also draws attention to the handicap.
An automatic or hands-free speech valve enables stoma closure and speech by short air thrusts without use of the hands.
Speaking using such a system requires some adjustment with respect to manual stoma closure. People learn to give sufficient and controlled breath pressure when generating a voice. High breath pressure accelerates loosening of the stoma plaster.
The speech valve is not inserted until people have acquired sufficient skill in using the voice prosthesis, have good respiratory control, speech is fluent and voice quality is good.
Not everybody succeeds in mastering the use of an automatic speech valve. Consult your doctor if this device is suitable for you.
Speech using the hands-free speech valve is trained under the supervision of a specialised speech therapist.
Benefits of the hands-free speech valve:
- speaking is possible without using a hand to close the stoma
Drawbacks of the hands-free speech valve:
- excessive breath pressure accelerates loosening of the stoma plaster.
- presence of irritating additional sounds (due to excessive breath pressure)
- reduced volume
- less prolonged speech in one exhalation
- speaking requires more effort