Sophia De Ley

The Objective Vocal Quality, Vocal Risk Factors, Vocal Complaints, and Corporal Pain in Dutch Female Students Training to be Speech-Language Pathologists During the 4 Years of Study

The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to determine the objective vocal quality and the vocal characteristics (vocal risk factors, vocal and corporal complaints) in 197 female students in speech-language pathology during the 4 years of study. The objective vocal quality was measured by means of the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI). Perceptual voice assessment, the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), questionnaires addressing vocal risks, and vocal and corporal complaints during and/or after voice usage were performed. Speech-language pathology (SLP) students have a borderline vocal quality corresponding to a DSI% of 68. The analysis of variance revealed no significant change of the objective vocal quality between the first bachelor year and the master year. No psychosocial handicapping effect of the voice was observed by means of the VHI total, though there was an effect at the functional VHI level in addition to some vocal complaints. Ninety-three percent of the student SLPs reported the presence of corporal pain during and/or after speaking. In particular, sore throat and headache were mentioned as the prevalent corporal pain symptoms. A longitudinal study of the objective vocal quality of the same subjects during their career as an SLP might provide new insights.

The impact of menopause on vocal quality.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to measure and describe the effect of menopause on vocal characteristics by comparing premenopausal and postmenopausal women (not taking hormone therapy [HT]). Methods:Thirty-eight postmenopausal women (mean age, 58 y) not taking HT participated in the study. The control group consisted of 34 premenopausal women (mean age, 48 y). To determine the vocal characteristics in both groups, objective (aerodynamic measurements, vocal range measurements, acoustic analysis, electroglottography, and a determination of the Dysphonia Severity Index) and subjective (perceptual evaluation, videostroboscopic evaluation, and Voice Handicap Index) assessment techniques were used. Results:Postmenopausal women showed a good overall vocal quality, with a Dysphonia Severity Index value of 3.3. Significant differences in aerodynamic parameters (vital capacity and phonation quotient), vocal range (lowest frequency), and acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency [F0] during reading, variation of F0, F0 tremor intensity index, and amplitude tremor intensity index) were found between the premenopausal and postmenopausal women. However, when controlling for age, only phonation quotient and F0 during reading were significantly lower in the group of postmenopausal women. For the perceptual evaluation, significant differences in grade of dysphonia, breathiness, and strained vocal quality were found. Conclusions:Postmenopausal women not taking HT had a good overall vocal quality. However, in comparison with premenopausal women, they showed a lower habitual F0 in continuous speech.

Impact of early synchronous lip and palatal repair on speech.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to describe articulation and resonance characteristics of Ugandan English-speaking children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) after synchronous lip and palatal closure (Sommerlad technique) prior to the age of 6 months in comparison with an age- and gender-matched control group. Methods: Eleven Ugandan patients with CLP (mean age 4;9 years), repaired during a synchronous lip and (soft and hard) palatal closure at a mean age of 3.4 months, were included as well as a control group (n = 22) consisting of 2 Ugandan age- and gender-matched noncleft children for each patient (mean age 4;10 years). Objective and perceptual speech assessment techniques were applied. Results: Consonant inventories were significantly smaller in the CLP group. Moreover, phonetic disorders and phonological processes occurred in 91 and 100% of the CLP group, respectively. Perceptual consensus evaluation revealed absence of hyponasality and cul-de-sac resonance in all patients. Hypernasality and nasal emission/turbulence occurred in 18 and 27% of the patients, respectively. No significant group differences were observed regarding the mean nasalance values of oral speech samples. Conclusion: Various deviations from normal speech development seem to occur in patients with CLP following synchronous lip and palatal closure before 6 months of age.