The purpose of this literature review was to identify scholarship pertaining to teachers' vocal health and to discuss implications for music teachers. The review includes studies where researchers have addressed vocal health issues for K-12 teachers of all subjects as well as issues unique to music teachers. Risk factors, measurement, and…

The current study, a preliminary examination of whether music teachers are more susceptible to vocal problems than teachers of other subjects, asked for expert evaluation of audio recordings from licensed speech-language pathologists. Participants (N = 41) taught music (n = 23) or another subject (n = 18) in either elementary (n = 21), middle (n =…

The focus of this research effort was to examine the prevalence and impact of voice problems among a sample of physical education teachers. The survey was administered to K-12 physical education teachers (n = 199) addressing three aspects of voice issues: consequences, strategies for prevention, and potential risk factors. The results indicated a…

A teacher points out the occupational hazard that can result from the misuse of the voice and ensuing vocal cord damage. Presents discussion of ways to avoid misusing the voice and prevent vocal cord damage. (MD)

The voice quality, breathiness, hoarseness, and laryngeal strain of 20 profoundly deaf and 5 normal-hearing children, age 5-19, were judged. Findings suggest that overall prediction of voice quality cannot reliably be based on glottal parameters and judged voice deviations, although severe cases of deaf voice deviations may be detectable.…

There are a number of methods and activities clinicians can use to overcome vocal abuse in school-age children. (Author/PHR)

A follow-up study on a 10-year public school voice clinic program surveyed 39 parents of children seen at voice clinics and referring clinicians regarding the impact and effectiveness of the voice clinics. The program appears to have increased public understanding of voice problems and is useful in expediting management. (Author/CL)

The article describes how one urban school district dealt with a need to improve its effectiveness in diagnosing and treating voice disorders by establishing semiannual voice clinics. Students aged 5-18 were referred, screened, and selected for the clinics if they appeared to have a chronic voice problem. (Author/CL)

In 10 years of school district voice clinics, 249 cases were reviewed. Vocal nodules, chronic laryngitis and thickened cords were frequently noted. One-third of the cases had concomitant allergies, ear, and/or upper respiratory problems. Direct voice therapy was recommended for 65 percent of attendees. (Author/CL)

Many Down Syndrome children have some disruption in the oral communicative processes, including an unusual voice quality which may have negative social effects. Factors to be considered include fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency range, frequency perturbations, amplitude perturbations, spectral noise, formant amplitude, and oral and nasal…

A less aggressive treatment strategy is proposed in the area of children's voice disorders. Speech clinicians are urged not to be over-zealous in imposition of their own voice standards. The potential threat that vocal pathologies hold for children's larynges is felt to be largely over-rated. (Author/JDD)

This study reviewed the exceptional educational needs histories of 36 children who had received preschool speech services at a phonology clinic. Findings indicated that 75-80 percent of children continued to have speech/language and other special education needs as they neared middle school and beyond. (Author/DB)

Two voice therapy approaches, vocal hygiene instruction and vocal function exercises, were compared for their functional effects with 58 teachers with voice disorders. Only the exercise group reported a significant reduction in perceived vocal handicap and this group also reported more overall voice improvement and greater ease and clarity in…

This monograph describes the National Speech and Hearing Survey (NSHS) database and examines the prevalence of articulation deviations, voice deviations, stuttering, dialects, hearing impairments, and multiple deviations. Literature on the coexistence of communication disorders is then reviewed, focusing on coexistence in articulation and language…

The perceptual assessment of voice disorders by speech pathologists and interjudge reliability were investigated through screening of 160 children (4-14 years old). Results demonstrated poor interjudge agreement between the listeners and indicate a need for more objective measures in the identification of voice disorders. (Author/SEW)