Quick Screen for Voice and Supplementary Documents for Identifying Pediatric Voice Disorders

Abstract

Three documents are provided to help the speech-language pathologist (SLP) identify children with voice disorders and educate family members. The first is a quickly administered screening test that covers multiple aspects of voice, respiration, and resonance. It was tested on 3,000 children in kindergarten and first and fifth grades, and on 47 preschoolers. The second document is a checklist of functional indicators of voice disorders that could be given to parents, teachers, or other caregivers to increase their attention to potential causes of voice problems and to provide the SLP with information pertinent to identification. The final document is a brochure with basic information about voice disorders and the need for medical examination. It may be used to help the SLP educate parents, particularly about the need for laryngeal examination for children who have been identified as having a voice problem.