| CODE | CMT2043 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Voice Disorders | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Communication Therapy | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The voice study-unit will deal with taught from pathophysiological clinical viewpoint as well as from a management perspective dealing with treatment strategies. The first section will be taught by an otolaryngologist specialized in vocal disorders and will tackle voice acoustics, embryology of vocal tract, and pediatric voice problems. It will then examine benign vocal lesions, laryngeal trauma, vocal cord immobility, neurological and psychological dysphonias. Finally laryngeal cancers will be examined in depth with management options including surgical rehabilitation of voice. The study-unit will also highlight the latest developments in the diagnostic tools used in assessing voice disorders. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit is geared to allow speech pathology students to gain an understanding of the patho-physiological processes underlying vocal disorders. The unit will explain the basics of speech acoustics and how the anatomy of the larynx is specialized to function in voice production. Embryology of the vocal tract will introduce pediatric vocal problems. Lectures will then delve into detailed outlines of common vocal problems from benign lesions, to traumatic, psychological, neurological, immobility and malignant laryngeal conditions. Each lecture will highlight the causes, symptomatology and treatment with emphasis towards a speech pathologist's viewpoint in the condition's management. The unit aims to allow the student speech pathologist understand the different referrals that may come from otolarngologists, neurologists, or physicians. Only thus will they be able to assist in managing often complex vocal disorders. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to fully understand the interplay of dysfunction in voice production resulting in voice disorders. This will aid their diagnostic processes and gear their treatment interventions towards correcting any underlying irregularities in voice. This patho-physiological approach will give them insight into the perception and clinical treatment of dysphonic patients. The student will also gain a thorough understanding of the role they will play in assisting otolaryngologists, neurologists or even physicians in managing disorders of voice. 2. Skills: The student will be given a thorough grounding into the research and diagnostic instruments used in objective assessment of dysphonia. The second section of the study-unit will be taught by a specialist speech pathologist with emphasis on the practical approach to the rehabilitation of the dysphonic patient. Thus the student will gain a practical insight into the empathy, expertise and clinical experience needed to successfully provide effective therapy to vocal patients. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - THE VOICE AND ITS DISORDERS (5th edition). M. Greene & L. Mathieson. Whirr Publishers - CLINICAL VOICE DISORDERS (3rd edition. Arnold E. Aronson. Thieme Medical Publishers. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Ritienne Grima Alec Lapira Jo Verstraete |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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