Functional Speech and Voice Disorders: Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment.

Historically, formal training for speech-language therapists (SLTs) in the area of functional speech and voice disorders (FSVD) has been limited, as has the body of empirical research in this content area. Recent efforts in the field have codified expert opinions on best practices for diagnosing and treating FSVD and have begun to demonstrate positive treatment outcomes. To provide comprehensive interventions for these complex conditions at the intersection of neurology, psychiatry, and other medical specialties, the SLT must not only build knowledge of diagnostic strategies and components of symptomatic treatment in FSVD but also embrace behavior change techniques and counseling strategies.

Speech and language therapy: A treatment case series of 20 patients with functional speech disorder.

Background: While expert consensus recommendations support the use of speech and language therapy (SLT) for patients with functional speech disorder (FND-speech), there are limited published data on clinical outcomes.

Objective: To retrospectively report the treatment outcomes and clinical characteristics of patients with FND-speech that attended outpatient SLT as part of a multidisciplinary program for functional neurological disorder (FND).

Methods: In this case series, we included adult patients with FND-speech that consecutively participated in outpatient SLT at our institution between October 2014 and September 2021.

Management of functional communication, swallowing, cough and related disorders: consensus recommendations for speech and language therapy.

Communication problems (eg, dysphonia, dysfluency and language and articulation disorders), swallowing disorders (dysphagia and globus), cough and upper airway symptoms, resulting from functional neurological disorder (FND), are commonly encountered by speech and language professionals. However, there are few descriptions in the literature of the most effective practical management approaches. This consensus document aims to provide recommendations for assessment and intervention that are relevant to both adults and young people.