Clinical Assessment of Vocal Fold Paralysis and Paresis

Presented by Maurice E. Goodwin and Christie DeLuca

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Video Runtime: 55 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 34 Minutes

This course is designed for speech pathologists seeking to deepen their understanding of the assessment of vocal fold paralysis and paresis. Participants will engage with detailed content that highlights the defining and presenting characteristics of these neurological voice disorders through exploration of normal and disordered neurolaryngeal anatomy and physiology, multidisciplinary evaluation strategies, and practical assessment tasks, with information on how to navigate assessment in this complex patient population, equipping professionals with the tools needed to conduct thorough and effective evaluations.

Learning Objectives
  • Identify physiology, anatomy, and overview of normal and impaired peripheral laryngeal neurological pathways
  • Outline defining and presenting characteristics including auditory perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic presentations of neurological vocal fold weakness
  • Identify multidisciplinary evaluation strategies and tasks for assessment of vocal fold paralysis and paresis
  • Integrate assessment data into clinical decision-making to determine candidacy for treatment
  • Identify ways to utilize assessment data for setting appropriate intervention expectations and for initial treatment planning

Meet your instructors

Maurice E. Goodwin

Maurice E. Goodwin is a licensed and practicing speech-language pathologist, voice teacher, and performer living in Houston, Texas. Professionally, he specializes in the evaluation and treatment of the singing voice and voice disorders at the Texas Voice Center. He currently serves as adjunct faculty at Lamar University. He…

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Christie DeLuca

Christie DeLuca is a clinical voice specialist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, an adjunct professor of voice disorders at CSU San Marcos, an adjunct faculty member of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, and a mentor for early-career voice SLPs. She did her clinical fellowship at the Mount Sinai Grabscheid…

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Chapters & learning objectives

Introduction and Peripheral Neurological Voice Education Overview

1. Introduction and Peripheral Neurological Voice Education Overview

This chapter will provide an overview of physiology and anatomy for normal and impaired peripheral laryngeal neurology to serve as a foundation for understanding assessment of vocal fold paralysis and paresis.

Defining Characteristics

2. Defining Characteristics

Before being able to conduct adequate assessment in this population, clinicians must understand characteristics and traits of both vocal fold paralysis, paresis, and SLN impairment. This chapter will outline defining and presenting characteristics of both voice disorders, including auditory-perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic presentations of each.

Assessment

3. Assessment

The complexities of neurological voice disorders can create challenges in adequate assessment of these disorders. Assessment of vocal fold paralysis and paresis presents unique challenges. This chapter will identify multidisciplinary evaluation strategies and tasks for comprehensive and effective assessment of complex neurological voice disorders. It will cover task-specific and disorder-specific assessment tasks.

Treatment Planning and Expectation Setting

4. Treatment Planning and Expectation Setting

This chapter will outline how to use assessment data from all assessment components to determine candidacy for disorder-specific available treatment options. It will also discuss expectation setting in the context of treatment for neurological vocal fold weakness.