Diagnosis and Treatment of Voice Disorders in School Children

Abstract

A diagnostic program for children with voice disorders was established at Northern Illinois University at the request of local school speech clinicians. The diagnostic team, meeting four times a year, consisted of a speech pathologist, a laryngologist, and a school psychologist, with the clinic providing audiological services. Referring school clinicians accompanied the children through the diagnostic procedure and conferred with team members at the various stations. Vocal nodules were found in 57% of the children, most of whom had been referred because of hoarseness. The evaluation procedure and therapy recommendations are discussed in detail. The clinicians expressed an increased confidence in dealing with voice problems and tended to include voice disorders more readily in their regular case loads.