An International Commentary on Dysphagia and Dysphonia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 has had an impact globally with millions infected, high mortality, significant economic ramifications, travel restrictions, national lockdowns, overloaded healthcare systems, effects on healthcare workers' health and well-being, and large amounts of funding diverted into rapid vaccine development and implementation. Patients with COVID-19, especially those who become severely ill, have frequently developed dysphagia and dysphonia. Health professionals working in the field have needed to learn about this new disease while managing these patients with enhanced personal protective equipment.

Dysphagia, Dysphonia, and Dysarthria Outcomes Among Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19 Across Ireland.

Objective: To investigate the presence, degree, predictors, and trajectory of dysphagia, dysphonia, and dysarthria among adults hospitalized with COVID-19 across the Republic of Ireland (ROI) during the first wave of the pandemic.

Study Design: Prospective observational cohort study.

Methods: Adults with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted into 14 participating acute hospitals across ROI and referred to speech and language therapy between March 1st and June 30th 2020 were recruited.

Post-extubation dysphagia and dysphonia amongst adults with COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland: A prospective multi-site observational cohort study.

Objectives: This study aims to (i) investigate post-extubation dysphagia and dysphonia amongst adults intubated with SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) and referred to speech and language therapy (SLT) in acute hospitals across the Republic of Ireland (ROI) between March and June 2020; (ii) identify variables predictive of post-extubation oral intake status and dysphonia and (iii) establish SLT rehabilitation needs and services provided to this cohort.

Design: A multi-site prospective observational cohort study.

Participants: One hundred adults with confirmed COVID-19 who were intubated across eleven acute hospital sites in ROI and who were referred to SLT services between March and June 2020 inclusive.

Voice Tremor in Parkinson's Disease: An Acoustic Study.

Background: Voice tremor associated with Parkinson disease (PD) has not been characterized. Its relationship with voice disability and disease variables is unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate voice tremor in people with PD (pwPD) and a matched control group using acoustic analysis, and to examine correlations with voice disability and disease variables.

Vocal tract characteristics in Parkinson's disease.

Purpose Of Review: Voice tremor is strongly linked to the Parkinson's disease speech-voice symptom complex. Little is known about the underlying anatomic source(s) of voice tremor when it occurs. We review recent literature addressing this issue.

Voice tremor: what we know and what we do not know.

Purpose Of Review: Voice tremor is a feature of many neurological conditions. Historically, clinical evaluation of voice tremor has relied on auditory-perceptual evaluation. We review developments in understanding of voice tremor that advocate additional approaches (acoustic, fibreoptic nasolaryngoscopic examination) to evaluation and stress the contribution from multiple sites in the speech mechanism to perceived tremor.

The effectiveness of a voice treatment approach for teachers with self-reported voice problems.

Teachers are considered the professional group most at risk of developing voice-problems, but limited treatment effectiveness evidence exists. We studied prospectively the effectiveness of a 6-week combined treatment approach using vocal function exercises (VFEs) and vocal hygiene (VH) education with 20 teachers with self-reported voice problems. Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to a no-treatment control (n = 11) and a treatment group (n = 9).