©A
tos M
edical AB
, 2017 MC1968-
ThENUSL_201802
1
Maximize Your Breath Support for Speech
What is abdominal breathing?
• Breathing from your abdomen by using your diaphragm (which is underneath
your lungs) instead of using your chest muscles.
• Moves more air into and out of the lungs.
Why is Abdominal Breathing Important?
• Talking is often easier.
• The voice is more natural and relaxed.
Tip:
Relax your neck and shoulder area. Lift your shoulders up high
and then drop and relax them.
Practice Abdominal Breathing
1. Sit comfortably upright in a chair.
2. Relax.
3. Hold one hand on your lower belly and keep the other hand ready at
the stoma.
4. Breathe in and notice your abdomen moving out a little bit.
5. Breath out for a few seconds and the hand on your belly should
slowly move inwards. Notice how your stomach muscles contract.
6. Practice breathing in and out this way 5 times.
Practice Abdominal Breathing with Voicing
1. Hold one hand on your lower belly and keep the other hand ready
at the stoma.
2. Breathe in and notice your abdomen moving out a little bit.
3. Occlude your stoma with your finger or thumb.
4. Say, “Haaaaaaaaay” for a few seconds and use the hand on your belly
to make sure that you squeeze your stomach muscles so that your
belly slowly moves inwards while you are producing this sound.
5. Remove your finger from your stoma.
6. Now relax your stomach muscles. This will cause your belly to move
outwards which will draw air into your lungs through your stoma. Your
chest should not move and your shoulders should remain relaxed.
7. Your lungs are now full with air again and you are ready to say the
“Haaay” again. Repeat each “Haaay” 5 times.
This text does not replace nor does it set forth the complete contents of the User Manual and/or Prescriber Information for the products in this text,
and is not a substitute for reviewing and understanding that important information. Therefore, before prescribing and/or using any of the products
included in this text, please review the entire contents of the respective User Manual and/or Prescriber Information.
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© Atos Medical AB, Sweden
Topic 18:
Abdominal Breathing
CareTips
