A voice is termed "disordered" when the vocal quality of an individual is altered/changed in such a way that it is thought to be abnormal to the individual.
The first signs of a voice disorder can be throat ache during speech. Voice fatigue or a weak and powerless voice is common. The voice may also sound hoarse, weak, harsh or unstable.
What may be the cause?
There may be many reasons for a voice disorder. Wrong use and straining of the vocal cords is one possible reason. It may also be caused by illness. A troublesome life-situation and conflicting feelings may also influence the voice. If a person is tired and stressed, the sum of all the bearings may become too much and the voice begins to fail. Often there is a combination of many causes.
Can you get help for these problems?
You can get help with your voice problem. A speech therapist who is specialised in the field of voice-disorders will provide help in teaching how to use the voice in a more appropriate and healthy way.
The voice-disorder team
The team at Bredtvet Resource Centre consists of five speech therapists and a physiotherapist. Twice a week we cooperate with an ENT doctor at the centre.
Our treatment philosophy and how we work
We focus on the whole life-situation of the person with voice-problems, not only the voice and the throat. We try to find out how the voice is used in different situations and what the possibilities for success may be. In that way we aim to start a process that may result in a positive change and a way out of a difficult situation. The ultimate goal is that the voice should be used naturally in all situations.
Our role in the support-system
Persons with voice-disorders are referred to us from the Pedagogical Psychological Service (PPS), adult rehabilitation, doctors and ENT specialists. We assess and diagnose the voice-problem and start a training programme that can be followed up locally.