In an attempt to confirm earlier results with a group of mentally retarded females, 12 mentally retarded institutionalized adults (8 male, 4 female) were trained to either reduce (Loud group) or increase (Soft group) their voice volumes with a combination of visual feedback and token reinforcement. The feedback unit provided a binary light on-off…

Special educators and speech pathologists were both able to distinguish adults with Down's syndrome from nonretarded adults with voice disorders based only on prolonged vowel samples. Listeners indicated that resonance differences may have helped them to identify Down's syndrome speakers. (Author)

In order to better evaluate students with voice disorders, maximum and mean phonation times as a function of coaching were obtained from 28 nonhandicapped third-grade girls. Coaching during the voiced prolongations produced significantly longer maximum and mean phonation times but did not reduce within-subject variability. (Author/DB)

Fifteen randomly selected public school elementary teachers participated in training sessions on voice disorders. Analysis of scores on ratings of voice disorder samples revealed that Ss made significantly fewer errors than a control group. The trained group agreed with speech pathologist judges 74 percent of the time. (CL)

In light of the proposal that a ratio of the maximum duration of sustained /s/ to /z/ sounds may be useful in determining the possible contributions of the respiratory and vocal mechanisms to a disordered voice, a study of /s/ and /z/ maximum phoneme duration in normal five-, seven-, and nine-year-olds was conducted. (Author/DLS)

Comparison of vocal problems of 50 female aerobic instructors and 50 female aerobic participants by means of questionnaires found that aerobic instructors generally experienced more hoarseness and episodes of voice loss during and after instructing and exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of nodules. (Author/DB)

This article presents an overview of the normal anatomy and physiology of the pediatric larynx, followed by some examples of pediatric voice disorders that were chosen to exemplify the alterations to the laryngeal anatomy and the subsequent modifications to laryngeal function. Vocal fold nodules are primarily reviewed due to their high incidence…

To determine whether voice quality affects the way in which children with Down's syndrome are perceived, 24 undergraduate students at Auburn University (Georgia) viewed photographs of children (3 to 13 years old) with Down's syndrome. Two conditions were established: in the first, the photographs were paired with voice samples of the child…

Discussed are speech appliances, devices which may be worn inside the mouth to improve voice resonance. (LS)

Described and provided is a laryngology consult form that has been found useful by speech therapists in obtaining information important to the diagnosis and management of children with voice disorders. (CL)

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)

A clinical program of vocal rehabilitation for eight patients with biopsied papillomata of the vocal folds resulted in reduction or elimination of the papillomata in four patients. (KW)