Any speech therapists

[niccig]

I'm back in speech therapy to fine tune my vocal quality from complication from thyroid surgery in early 2008. I can talk and everyone thinks I sound fine, but the speech therapist thinks more can be done. Still hoarse, don't have complete range, and some weakness of neck muscles.

My question is about the maintenance exercises. I got some when I finished up Speech in June 08, but I wasn't good about doing them. I'm going to get a new set when I finish up this lot of therapy at the end of the month. Will I always have to do the maintenance exercises? As in, forever??

[mom2binsd]

I haven't done voice therapy since grad school with adults, but I'd say it's really something your SLP can best advise on. Depending on the cause of the voice disorder, and/or if it's something that is likely to reoccur/return I'd say there will probably be a number of maintenance exercises to do, just like any other body part our voice needs fine tuning and care- I"m sure you've learned a lot already in voice therapy.

I'm sure you already practice good "vocal hygiene"....I used to always start out each school year giving the teachers at my elementary school my vocal hygiene speech!!

Hope things are improving though, it can be so frustrating not to be able to use your voice at it's expected levels.

[niccig]

Thanks Beth.
I thought my voice was fine and ran into the speech therapist when I was having my final check with the ENT surgeon. She could tell straight away. I'm just kind of annoyed at myself for not doing the maintenance exercises as that contributed to sliding back to where I am. I've got 8 sessions in the next 4 weeks, so she's whipping me back into shape. I just have to remember to do the exercises when I no longer have to see her.

[nofeea]

Hi,
I also, unfortunately, don't remember everything about voice therapy. It can actually be a very specialized part of the field- especially when surgery was involved (Just ask Julie Andrews!) It's important to have a well trained clinician but it sounds like you already have someone you have confidence in. If you still feel like you have questions you can always call ASHA or look up the ASHA website (American Speech-Language Hearing Association ASHA.org) and get the name of Therapists specializing in Voice in your area.
Good Luck!