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This is the first article in a three-part series on voice disorders. <\/i><\/p>\n
One of the most common questions an adult hears is, \u201cWhat do you do?\u201d When I answer, \u201cI\u2019m a speech-language pathologist.\u201d, most people pause for a second, then respond with one of two answers: \u201cOh, so you work on \/r\/.\u201d or, \u201cOh, like The King\u2019s Speech<\/span>?\u201d Both of those are true- many speech-language pathologists work with articulation, where they teach individuals how to make sounds accurately. We\u2019ve all heard Elmer Fudd in the Bugs Bunny cartoons with his \u201cyou wascally wabbit.\u201d Speech \u2013language pathologists (SLP) also work with individuals who stutter. However, another aspect of a speech-language pathologist\u2019s training is also to work with people with voice disorders. HUH?!? First, what is a voice disorder, and why would an SLP work on that?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about the easy part first. SLPs are experts in the anatomy and physiology of the vocal tract. We have a thorough understanding of how the vocal folds move, how the muscles work, and ways to change these patterns to help a person achieve the best voice possible. When we produce our voice, air travels from our lungs and passes through two vocal folds.\u00a0 These vocal folds begin moving and vibrating, and we have a \u201cvoice\u201d. If one or both of the vocal folds are not moving properly, then a person may have a voice disorder. A voice disorder sounds different for each person, and may depend on the underlying cause. For instance, some people may sound breathy or hoarse, like they have a cold. Some people may notice that the pitch of their voice drops. Others may find that their voice becomes \u201ctired\u201d or keeps cracking\/breaking when they talk (ASHA, 1993; ASHA, 2005).<\/p>\n An estimated 3% to 7% of the general population in the United States has a voice disorder. This number increases to 5% to 10% when only individuals who are \u201cheavy\u201d voice users are considered (ASHA, 2005). Heavy voice users include teachers, pastors, public speakers, and musicians, among others. While 5% to 10% does not seem like a large number, the expense of a voice disorder is. \u00a0In the United States, it is estimated that the cost of a voice disorder in teachers only<\/b> is close to 2.67 billion dollars yearly (ASHA, 2005).\u00a0 So what can a person with a voice disorder do?\u00a0 This blog series will examine the journey a person with a voice disorder takes, with an emphasis on the role of the speech \u2013language pathologist.<\/p>\n References:<\/p>\n