What We're Reading
Each month, the AVA Board provides an insight into industry-related articles, books, podcasts, or shows they are consuming, and what it means to their profession.
Jessica Ruhle
AVA Secretary
Predicting No Show in Voice Therapy: Avoiding the Missed Appointment Cycle
Reference: Vamosi, B. E., Mikhail, L., Gustin, R. L., Pielage, K. C., Reid, K., Tabangin, M. E., Altaye, M., Collar, R. M., Khosla, S. M., Giliberto, J. P., & Howell, R.J. (2021). Predicting No Show in Voice therapy: Avoiding the Missed Appointment Cycle. Journal of Voice, 35(4), 604–608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.01.003
The authors of this study audited the medical charts of 146 patients with booked voice therapy appointments in order to predict which of their patients would be most likely to attend. Interestingly, attendance was not able to be predicted by age, gender, voice diagnosis, severity or referrer. Instead, the only predictors of attendance were race, shorter waitlist times, and whether or not the sessions were multidisciplinary (i.e., if both ENTs and Speech Pathologists were present).
As a clinician, nothing is more frustrating than preparing for a therapy session, only for your client to never arrive. This is especially frustrating in the current landscape, where public ENT and voice therapy appointments have wait times over a year in many places.
This article explains that our extreme no-show rates are only further driving wait times for voice clinics, which then perpetuates the no-show cycle. It also suggests that no-show rates may be reduced by prioritising multidisciplinary sessions where ENTs and speech pathologists work together to determine diagnosis and
assessment plans.
So I ask you all… how can we creatively rethink our voice disorder service-design models and break this no-show/waitlist cycle for good!?
Link to further information: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089219971930414X
Elissa Finn
AVA International Liaison
#AnatoMonday: A Vocal Anatomy Colouring Book by Eimear McCarthy Luddy
McCarthy Luddy, E. (2024). #AnatoMonday: A Vocal Anatomy Colouring Book.
This is a beautiful colouring book for anyone interested in the voice! The illustrations are stunning and include brief descriptions of key structures and their functions in the larynx, pharynx, nasal and oral cavity.
I will be using this book in my clinic to help make vocal anatomy more accessible to patients, speech pathology students and others interested in the voice. The images are very clearly labelled and use simple language. The visuals in the book are gorgeous and more engaging than traditional resources which might be used for teaching.
https://www.vocology.ie/shop/p/anatomonday-a-vocal-anatomy-colouring-book
Dr Anthony Rotman
AVA Vice-President
Efficacy of Posterior Pharyngeal Wall Injection for Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in Adults.
Arora, N., Young, V. N., Schneider, S. L., Ma, Y., Rosen, C. A., Crosby, T. W. (2024). Efficacy of Posterior Pharyngeal Wall Injection for Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in Adults. The Laryngoscope, 135(2), 605-613. doi: 10.1002/lary.31788
This study demonstrates the impact of posterior pharyngeal wall injection, in addition to vocal fold and cricopharyngeal intervention, on dysphonia and dysphagia. It is retrospective but with a moderate sample size and adequate outcome measures (EAT-10 and VHI-10 amongst others), the results suggest improvements in quality of life with this treatment.
Rehabilitating patients' speech and swallow after head and neck cancer treatment or neurovascular accidents can be challenging. As a Laryngologist, it is reassuring to know that there is increasing evidence of patient benefit with the techniques described. Importantly, the authors acknowledge that speech and swallow impairments are often linked, highlighting the need at times for multiple procedure types to modify and improve laryngopharyngeal dynamics.
Ajhriahna Henshaw
AVA Professional Development Lead
The Contemporary Singer - Elements of Vocal Technique
Peckham, A. (2010). The contemporary singer: elements of vocal technique. Hal Leonard Corporation.
Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer
Peckham, A. (2005). Vocal workouts for the contemporary singer. Hal Leonard Corporation.
They are a description of training philosophies and exercises designed for CCM singers. I am reading them for research.
Dr Heather Fletcher
AVA President
Music Listening as Self-Enhancement
Elvers, P., Fischinger, T., & Steffens, J. (2018). Music listening as self-enhancement: Effects of empowering music on momentary explicit and implicit self-esteem. Psychology of Music, 46(3), 307-325.
This article examines how music listening can influence explicit and implicit self-esteem, taking into consideration the expressive properties of music and individual responses to them.
I’m interested in this research as I find the concept of music-listening and social surrogacy fascinating. Identifying with lyrics, mood, and vocal timbre can be strong motivations to engage with songs, and song selection can facilitate positive (inspiration) and non-positive (rumination) outcomes. Why do we listen to music, what do we want from it, and how do we feel during/afterwards?
Find the article here:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00002/full
The Singing Athlete
Byrne, A. (2020). The singing athlete: brain-based training for your voice. Andrew Byrne Studio Inc.
This book addresses vocal pedagogy specific to physical development, the nervous and vestibular systems, and neuroscience. It includes comprehensive exercises to aid in vocal development.
I had a lesson with Andrew when he came out to Australia in 2019 and I really enjoyed his techniques. His pedagogy brings vocal training to the “gym” through targeting the synchronicity of muscle groups, nerve functions, and neurology. I value his exercises and the content he presents in his book and online.
Learn more here: https://www.andrewmbyrne.com/