How can therapeutic singing improve speech functions?

In the context of music therapy, therapeutic singing is a specialized technique used to improve speech functions, particularly in the field of neurorehabilitation.1

Therapeutic singing leverages the fact that singing and speaking utilize different neural mechanisms. Research indicates that singing often remains preserved in individuals who have lost the ability to communicate through speech due to aphasia caused by brain injury. Because singing is regulated in part by subcortical brain centers related to emotional activity, it can bypass damaged areas of the brain that typically govern communicative speech.2

In clinical practice, music therapists use these preserved pathways to help patients regain fluency. For example, individuals who suffer from severe stuttering or spastic dysphonia may be able to sing with fluency even when their speech is halting or choked. By incorporating singing into therapy, practitioners can facilitate communication and social skill development, effectively bridging the gap for patients whose traditional speech functions have been impaired.21