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5:21am February 6, 2015

➸ Voice Disorder in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

dendriforming:

madeofpatterns:

dendriforming:

We found that cystic fibrosis patients had a significantly lower vocal intensity and harmonic to noise ratio, as well as increased levels of jitter and shimmer. In addition, cystic fibrosis patients also showed higher scores of roughness, breathiness and asthenia, as well as a significantly altered general grade of dysphonia. When we segregated the results according to sex, we observed that, as a group, only female cystic fibrosis patients had significantly lower values of harmonic to noise ratio and an abnormal general grade of dysphonia in relation to matched controls, suggesting that cystic fibrosis exerts a more pronounced effect on vocal parameters of women in relation to men. Overall, the dysphonic characteristics of CF patients can be explained by dysfunctions in vocal fold movement and partial upper airway obstruction, potentially caused by the accumulation of mucus and chronic cough characteristic of CF symptomatology. Our results show that CF patients exhibit significant dysphonia and suggest they may potentially benefit from voice therapy as a parallel treatment strategy.

I don’t hear much about this. But this describes a problem I have a lot, and that I’m really scared of the professional implications of. (There seems to be a general sentiment of “You shouldn’t go near SLP if you have a thing that makes you sound weird, because then people will think it’s okay if they sound weird, and what would they pay you for then?” Even though I want to do AAC, this seems like it could still be used to shut me out early on.)

There’s always going to be some reason disability might be used to shut you out. Of literally every field. It doesn’t mean you can’t do the thing.

I know. I just… sometimes wish I could reliably pass. Without being passed off as things that are also stigmatizing.

I want things to be easier.