SPEECH
THERAPY

A Voice disorder occurs when voice quality, pitch, and loudness differ or are inappropriate for an individual’s age, gender, cultural background, or geographic location. voice disorder is present when an individual expresses concern about having an abnormal voice that does not meet daily needs—even if others do not perceive it as different or deviant.voice disorders are categorized as follows:

• Organic
• Structural
• Neurogenic

Voice quality can also be affected when psychological stressors lead to habitual, maladaptive aphonia or dysphonia. The resulting voice disorders are referred to as psychogenic voice disorders or psychogenic conversion aphonia/dysphonia (Stemple et al., 2010). These voice disorders are rare. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may refer individuals suspected of having a psychogenic voice disorder to other appropriate professionals (e.g., psychologist and/or psychiatrist) for diagnosis and may collaborate in subsequent behavioral treatment. The complementary relationships among these organic, functional, and psychogenic influences ensure that many voice disorders will have contributions from more than one etiologic factor (Stemple et al., 2014; Verdolini et al., 2006). For example, vocal fold nodules may result from behavioral voice misuse (functional etiology). However, the voice misuse results in repeated trauma to the vocal folds, which may then lead to structural (organic) changes to the vocal fold tissue. SLPs may also be involved in the assessment and treatment of disorders that affect the laryngeal mechanism (i.e., the aerodigestive tract) and that are not classified as voice disorders, such as the following:

• Paradoxical vocal fold movement
• Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction