Voice

Professional Voice Users

Professional voice users are those whose voice is an integral part of their occupation. Professional voice users include:

• Singers
• Actors
• Teachers & Lecturers
• Auctioneers
• Receptionists
• Telephone operators
• Radio announcers
• Sports coaches/umpires

Whilst everybody uses and relies on their voice on a daily basis, professional voice users have a very high level of vocal demand, and their voice plays a vital role in how they perform in their job.

Because of this increased vocal demand, professional voice users are at a greater risk of experiencing vocal strain, voice overuse and misuse, which can result in periods of

• hoarse, rough and/or breathy voice
• globus and
• general neck and throat pain

Professional voice users are able to attend the Voice Clinic for

• voice education
• vocal hygiene information and
• the treatment of voice disorders.

Vocal hygiene and voice education aim to prevent the development of a voice disorder and can be sought before vocal symptoms appear, become frequent or worse. In addition, awareness of lifestyle choices that exacerbate vocal symptoms and vocal fatigue can enable professional voice users to make appropriate lifestyle changes to enhance the health, quality, and durability of their voice.

Voice Disorders in Children

Childhood voice disorders can have a negative impact on a child's social development and self esteem. The majority of children are aware when they sound different to their peers and may be embarrassed, be teased by other children or be sick of people asking what's wrong with their voice. ¹⁶

It is thought that anywhere from 6-38% of children have a voice disorder. Childhood voice disorders are more common in boys than girls and also in children who have older siblings. ¹⁵

The types of voice disorders seen in children are similar to those seen in adults and symptoms tend to be the same. A child who has a voice disorder might say that they:

• can't be heard
• can't sing high notes
• have a sore throat when they talk
• find drinking water helps their voice
• run out of air
• have to push to get their voice out
• have a voice that sometimes does not work

The Voice Clinic offers paediatric voice therapy services for school aged children including individual therapy sessions as well as group sessions when possible.

Clients with a diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder – Transsexualism (GID-T)

The Voice Clinic specialises in providing voice therapy to clients with a diagnosis of GID-T. 

The majority of these clients who seek voice therapy as a part of their transition are male-to-female transsexuals who wish to make their voice sound appropriate for their female appearance ³⁰. Each individual seeks voice therapy services at a different stage in their journey and clients seen at the Voice Clinic are all at various stages of their transition.

Speech Pathologists have a thorough understanding of the voice including the anatomical and physiological differences between the male and female vocal tract, and they are experienced working with voice clients. ¹⁷ As a result of this knowledge and experience they are able to work with transgender client to help them develop a voice that they feel is a more accurate representation of the gender and individual they are, while maintaining vocal health and durability and preventing the development of a voice disorder. ¹⁷

The primary goal of most male-to-female clients with a diagnosis of GID-T is to increase the pitch of their voice ³⁰. However the female voice is not just a higher version of the male voice and therefore therapy targeting pitch alone is not enough to help the client develop gender appropriate communication skills 12, Kent & Read, 2009 cited in. ³⁰

Therefore voice therapy for the client with GID-T covers:

• Vocal hygiene
• Pitch
• Resonance
• Intonation
• Articulation
• Language
• Speech rate and volume
• Non-verbal behaviour ¹⁷