Evaluation and management of spoken voice disorders

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Dominique Morsomme

Substitute(s)

Angélique Remacle

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course unit focuses on the assessment and management of spoken voice disorders.

Ideally, all the topics listed below will be covered during the course unit. However, depending on the time available and the pace of progress, some topics may not be covered or may be addressed more briefly.

Topics include:

• the foundations of vocology and its interdisciplinary nature;
• conducting a multidimensional voice assessment: case history, self-assessment, perceptual assessment, laryngeal examination, acoustic and aerodynamic measurements, voice range profile, and functional observations;
• the general principles of evidence-based voice treatment;
• clinical reasoning models: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the taxonomy of voice therapy, RTSS-Voice, the transtheoretical model of change, the Murali model, and the Kasaï model;
• adapting care to voice disorders with or without lesions, including nodules, polyps, cysts, functional or psychogenic dysphonia, voice mutation disorders, spasmodic dysphonia, and presbyphonia; the management of laryngeal immobility; and the coordination of speech and language therapy with medical, surgical, or psychological treatments;
• evidence-based practice applied to voice care: formulating a clinical question, conducting a literature search, critically appraising evidence, and making therapeutic decisions; assessing treatment effectiveness and transferring acquired skills to everyday life.
  
  

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of the course unit, students should be able to:

• define vocology and explain its relationship with speech and language therapy, laryngology, phoniatrics, and voice science;
• conduct a structured, rigorous, and patient-centred voice assessment;
• select validated assessment tools suited to the clinical situation;
• interpret medical, perceptual, acoustic, aerodynamic, and functional data collectively;
• identify the main voice disorders and explain their functional consequences;
• establish links between the diagnosis, physiological mechanisms, the individual's needs, and therapeutic goals;
• distinguish between indications for speech and language therapy, medical treatment, surgery, and psychological support;
• select and adapt appropriate management techniques;
• clearly describe the components, mechanisms of action, targets, and functional goals of an intervention;
• design an individualised therapeutic programme that promotes adherence and the transfer of acquired skills;
• search for, critically appraise, and apply the available scientific evidence;
• assess the effectiveness of an intervention using clinical, instrumental, functional, and patient-centred criteria;
• recognise the limitations of the available evidence and justify clinical decisions despite uncertainty.
  
  

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The main prerequisites are listed below and relate to the following courses:

• LOGO 0007: Pathophysiology of Phonation, including medical examination techniques;
• LOGO 5006: Elements of General and Clinical Phonetics and Phonology;
• PHYS 3135: Fundamentals of Physics for Speech and Language Therapy;
• PSYC 0085: The Research Pillar of Evidence-Based Practice.

• basic knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the vocal apparatus;
• an understanding of acoustic phonetics and respiratory physiology;
• general knowledge of the main ENT and voice disorders;
• the ability to read and understand scientific articles, particularly in English;
• a basic understanding of research methodology and evidence-based practice.
  
  

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

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Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

Face-to-face course

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Resources used explicitly or implicitly include:

• slide decks on vocology, voice assessment, evidence-based treatments, semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs), clinical models, voice disorders, laryngeal immobility, and evidence-based practice (EBP);
• illustrations, laryngeal examinations, clinical examples, and patient testimonials;
• guidelines and reviews, particularly from the French National Authority for Health (HAS), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the Cochrane Library;
• scientific articles retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the University of Liège's library resources;
• references relating to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the taxonomy developed by Van Stan et al., RTSS-Voice, and the Murali and Kasaï models.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )


Further information:

Open-ended questions are preferred, as they allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts taught more fully. Multiple-choice questions may also be included.

Assessment methods may include:

• a written or oral examination covering key concepts, voice assessment, voice disorders, and therapeutic principles;
• analysis of a clinical case, including the selection of assessments, interpretation of results, and formulation of therapeutic goals;
• justification of a treatment plan based on the diagnosis, the patient's needs, and scientific evidence;
• where applicable, a literature review and critical appraisal of an article or intervention.

• accuracy and command of the relevant knowledge;
• relevance of clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis;
• ability to integrate multiple sources of data rather than merely presenting scores side by side;
• suitability of the goals and techniques in relation to the diagnosis and functional needs;
• quality of the scientific reasoning;
• consideration of the patient's preferences, context, and participation;
• ability to distinguish between instrumental findings and clinical relevance;
• recognition of limitations, risks, and contraindications;
• coherence of the therapeutic progression and of strategies for transferring acquired skills to everyday life;
• clarity and precision of written communication, in line with professional standards.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

Teacher: Angélique Remacle

Course leader: Dominique Morsomme

Association of one or more MOOCs

The MOOC entitled 'EPB: Logopédie en voix (Y3)' is associated with this course.


Further information:

Remote SPOC (online course) on the JOBS@SKILLS platform: Evidence-Based Practice in Voice.
 
To register, click here: EBP in Voice