• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.103-108
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Bel canto singing technique on voice quality in patients with vocal bowing and sulcus vocalis. Five patients with vocal bowing, and five patients with sulcus vocalis participated in the study. Each subject was assessed acoustically (Jitter, Shimmer, NNE) in the first and last session. Dr. Speech (version 4.0, Tiger-DRS) was used to compare acoustic parameters of pre- and post-treatment. The Bel canto singing technique consisted of breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, and phonation exercises. The results showed that the Bel canto singing technique tended to be effective on improving voice quality in patients with organic voice disorders.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.3
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• pp.5-17
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• 1998

Botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin derived from Clostridia Botulinum, has been injected into the target muscle(s) for the treatment of several kinds of voice and speech disorders at the Voice Clinic, Yonsei Institute of Logopedics and Phoniatrics since December 1995. Criteria for the diagnosis and method of injection for spasmodic dysphonia, mutational dysphonia, muscle tension dysphonia, dysphonia after total laryngectomy, and stuttering were summarized. Among 144 patients with adductor type spasmodic dysphonia, who were injected one time to maximum 8 times during the 27 months, 90% were recognized as having better than slight improvement. Even though the injected cases were small, not only the abductor type spasmodic dysphonia, but also the intractable mutational dysphonia or muscle tension dysphonia resistant to voice therapy revealed that botulinum toxin injection would be another options for treatment. Patients who cannot phonate after total laryngectomy and some forms of adulthood stutterers can also be candidates for the injection of botulinum toxin.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2009

In this study, we suggest Korean nonlinear fitting formula (KNFF) to maximize speech intelligibility for digital hearing aids based on NAL-NL1 (NAL-nonlinear, version 1). KNFF was derived from the same procedure which is used for deriving NAL-NL1. KNFF consider the long-term average speech spectrum of Korean instead of English because the frequency characteristic of Korean is different from that of English. New insertion gains of KNFF were derived using the SII (speech intelligibility index) program provided by ANSI. In addition, the insertion gains were modified to maximize the intelligibility of high frequency words. To verify effect of the new fitting gain, we performed speech discrimination test (SDT) and preference test using the hearing loss simulator from NOISH. In the SDT, a word set as test material consists of 50 1-syllable word generally used in hearing clinic. As a result of the test, in case of moderate hearing loss with severe loss on high frequency, the SDT scores of KNFF was more improved about 3.2% than NAL-NLl and about 6% in case of the sever hearing loss. Finally we have obtained the result that it was the effective way to increase gain of mid-high frequency bands and to decrease gain of low frequency bands in order to maximize speech intelligibility of Korean.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2011

Background and Objectives : The aim of this study is to introduce Korea version of pediatric VHI and to compare pVHI-K scores between children with dysphonia and children without voice problems before pVHI-K is developed as a preliminary study. Additionally, the relationship between pVHI and acoustic measures were investigated. Materials and Methods : pVHI-K scores in normal group were obtained from 15 parents who have children with no present or past history of a voice disorder, hearing loss, or related disability that can affect the their voice or speech. Dysphonia group consisted of 15 parents who have children with bilateral vocal fold nodule's at Department of Otolaryngology, the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). pVHI-K and acoustic parameters were measured in two group. Results : The mean pVHI scores (total, functional, physical, emotional) in normal group were 2.33 (T), 0.80 (F) 1.33 (P) and 0.27 (E), respectively whereas those of pVHI in children group with dysphonia were 23.13 (T), 11.07 (F), 5.73 (P) and 6.13 (E), respectively and significant differences were revealed in total pVHI score as well as in all of the sub-pVHI scores. Moreover, significant correlation between pVHI-K parameters (T, F, P) and acoustic measures [Shimmer(%)] were shown in children in dysphonia group. Conclusion : Reported by parents can be useful as a supplementary clinical tool for diagnosing and measuring treatment effectiveness in young children with dysphonia.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2008

In cleft palate patient, characteristic of speech disorder is the resonance disorder result from velopharyngeal incompetence. Clinically VPI caused by congenital factor as congenital palatal incompetence, submucosal cleft palate, and caused by acquired factor as CNS damage, tumor, palatal palsy. The clinicians more concerned about the speech disorders after cleft palate surgery rather than language pathologist. The resonance disorder devided for hypernasality, hyponasality and nasal emission, but as a rule, hypernasality is typical phenomenon of the resonance disorder. Traditionally clinicians and language pathologists evaluated four-stage or five-stage of hypernasality by subjective assessment. Although language pathologist is well-trained, results of the language level should be different. In late 1980s, Kay Elemetrics Corp. developed nasometer that objective nasalance identified with well-trained language pathologist and originate from nasometer Tonar I and II were developed by Fletcher. Therefore objective nasalance test was possible, the nasometer used in hospital, collage and speech clinic both and home and abroad. Standardization of the cleft palate speech assessment must be settled without delay because of different character result in different language and different assessment results by dialect in same language. In our study, we provide the data base for the standardization of cleft palate speech assessment which through report of objective assessment method, speech therapy effects and problems result in interdisciplinary teamwork by nasometer use in treatment of cleft palate patient.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.25-34
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• 2005

Background and Objectives There was no clinical data except literary study on mutual correlation with autistic disorder in Western medical diagnosis and five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲) in Oriental medical diagnosis. This study was performed to investigate the correlation of five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲) to the children with autistic disorder and to set the time table for clinical diagnosis of developmental retardation by making a comparative study of normal developmental children so we can treat the children with autistic disorder in good time. Method We made the comparative study of interview sheets recorded by parents of total 163 children who were diagnosed as autistic disorder who visited HaeMa Oriental Medical Clinic with interview sheets recorded by parents of generally accepted normal developmental children(263) and then we took statistics. Results : 1. There was significant correlation with speech and walking among five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲) in autistic disorder statistically and clinically in comparison with normal children. 2. There wasn't significant correlation with growth time of tooth among five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲) on diagnosis of autistic disorder in comparison with normal children. 3. There was significant correlation with retardation of times going to toilet by oneself (it does not consist in five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲).) in both of autistic disorder. Conclusion Autistic disorder was significantly correlated with the faculty of speech(語遲), retardation in walking out(行遲) of five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲). We need to concrete the index of diagnosis, because it is so difficult to measure times and register retardation in tooth eruption(齒遲), retardation in hair-growing(髮遲), debility of neck and nape(頭項軟), flaccidity of extremities(手軟) and flaccidity of muscle(肌肉軟). And we can also use times going to toilet by oneself as one of diagnostic criteria because of its significant correlation. It is required to make early diagnosis of five kinds of flaccidity in infants(五軟), five kinds of retardation(五遲) using these criteria, and to treat them early by oriental medicine.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.308-312
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• 2006

Time to time, we face patients who missed the proper time for primary palatal repair. Although we do not have enough available documents, it is important to establish efficacy of palatal repair in patients more than 4 years old. From May 1995 to March 2005, we selected 14 patients who underwent palatal repair in more than 4 years old patients and they are able to tolerate speech articulation tests. Out of 14 patients 5 males an 9 females in sex, aged form 4 to 50 years old. 6 patients with incomplete cleft palate and 8 patients with submucous cleft palate. Double reversing Z-plasty(n=5), pushback palatoplasty(n=4), two flap palatoplasty(n=2), von Langenbeck palatoplasty(n=2), and intravelar veloplasty(n=1) were performed. Preoperative and postoperative speech articulation test, "Simple method of speech evaluation in Korean patients with cleft palate", were conducted. Satisfaction rate was sorted into 5 levels. There is no significant statistical correlation in the speech improvement, satisfaction rate, patients sex, cleft type and operative method. But there is significant statistical correlation between the speech improvement and patienet's age. There were better result in younger patient group than aged patients group.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.444-455
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to explore the selection attributes for parents of children with language disability when choosing a clinic. The data collection was carried out in 3 steps: the preliminary survey, first open survey and second survey in AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process). The subjects of were 252 in total. The results were as follows: First, The order of priority attributes in superior categories for parents of children with language disability when selecting a clinic were 'therapist-related attributes', 'program-related attributes' and 'physical-related attributes' in turn. The top 5 priority attributes in subcategories were 'therapist's academic background and major', 'ability to make a rapport', 'clinical experience and qualification of therapist', 'kindness and confidence' and 'counseling program for parents'. Second, The parents of preschoolers age 6 and younger chose 'clinical experience and qualification of therapist', 'counseling program for parents' and 'learning materials' for the most priority attributes, whereas the parents of students age from 7 to 12, considered 'therapist's academic background and major', 'clinical fee' and 'distance transport parking' more importantly to select a clinic. The results of this study provided preliminary data for successful planning of speech and language therapy.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.41
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• pp.19.1-19.6
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• 2019

Background: The submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is a type of cleft palate that may result in velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Palate muscles completely separate oral and nasal cavities by closing off the velopharynx during functional processes such as speech or swallow. Also, hypernasality may arise from anatomical or neurological abnormalities in these functions. Treatments of this issue involve a combination of surgical intervention, speech aid, and speech therapy. This case report demonstrates successfully treated VPI resulted from SMCP without any surgical intervention but solely with speech aid appliance and speech therapy. Case presentation: A 13-year-old female patient with a speech disorder from velopharyngeal insufficiency that was caused by a submucous cleft palate visited to our OMFS clinic. In the intraoral examination, the patient had a short soft palate and bifid uvula. And the muscles in the palate did not contract properly during oral speech. She had no surgical history such as primary palatoplasty or pharyngoplasty except for tonsillectomy. And there were no other medical histories. Objective speech assessment using nasometer was performed. We diagnosed that the patient had a SMCP. The patient has shown a decrease in speech intelligibility, which resulted from hypernasality. We decided to treat the patient with speech aid (palatal lift) along with speech therapy. During the 7-month treatment, hypernasality measured by a nasometer decreased and speech intelligibility became normal. Conclusions: Surgery remains the first treatment option for patients with velopharyngeal insufficiencies from submucous cleft palates. However, there were few reports about objective speech evaluation pre- or post-operation. Moreover, there has been no report of non-surgical treatment in the recent studies. From this perspective, this report of objective improvement of speech intelligibility of VPI patient with SMCP by non-surgical treatment has a significant meaning. Speech aid can be considered as one of treatment options for management of SMCP.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the parameter CPP (cepstral peak prominence) and LTAS (long term average spectrum) band energy for an analysis of breathy voice with vocal fold paralysis. Thirty-four female subjects who have vocal paralysis after thyroidectomy participated in this study. According to the perceptual judgements by three speech pathologists and one phonetic scholar, subjects were divided into two groups: breathy voice group (n = 21) and non-breathy voice group (n = 13). Maximum sustained phonation task was measured for acoustic analysis. CPP-related (i.e. mean F0, mean CPP, and mean CPPs) and LTAS-related (i.e. minimum, maximum, and mean) parameters were used. Independent samples t-test was conducted. Regarding CPP, there are significant differences in mean CPP and mean CPPs between groups. The values of mean CPP and CPPs in the non-breathy voice group are higher than those in the breathy voice group. The CPP could be regarded as the useful parameter for breathy voice analysis in the clinic. When it comes to LTAS, energy from 0 to 2 kHz are significantly different between groups. The minimum value of non-breathy group is lower than that of breathy group, whereas the maximum value of non-breathy group is higher. The frequency band below 2 kHz seems to be related to breathy voice.