SPEECH & VOICE PROBLEMS

Do NOT take it personally if your patient nods, or makes a sound instead of speaking.

It may be easier to not speak at all, or to just make one sound, rather than speaking.  Uh-huh may be used a lot.

Do NOT talk to the person from across the room, making them speak louder for YOU to hear THEM.

Do get close enough to hear the person, and reduce the stress they must put on their vocal cords.

Don't rush the patient.

The patient may be searching their mind to form the shortest sentence they can, using the fewest words, but still be able to give you a good (clear) answer or clear directions about what they need you to do.

Do NOT ask the person to "speak up".  

If they could speak up, they would naturally be using a normal voice.  

But with laryngitis, it is recommended that the person speak softly (but don't whisper, because that can be hard on the vocal cords).

Do NOT try to hear the person over the television, radio, fans, air filter fans, air conditioning motor/fan, or other conversations in the room.

                            Make the room as QUIET as possible while the person is speaking.

Don't "disappear" into another area of the house - or be gone long periods of time - requiring that the person must try to YELL to make you hear them.

                      Check on the person frequently enough that they can communicate their needs to you without trying to yell for you.  Usually every 20 minutes or so is an acceptable period of time -- time enough to do dishes, put a load of laundry in the washer or dryer, run the vacuum in a few rooms....

Don't ask lots of questions.

                            Ask YES - NO questions instead !

Don't expect the person to always respond verbally!

                                    Have the person use pencil & paper, or an erasable board, or small chalkboard -- anything a person can write their replies to you.

Don't get upset if the person resorts to pointing to what they want or need.

                                    To rest the voice, ANYTHING a person can do other than speaking OR making ANY sound will be helpful to them and will help recover their ability to speak, quicker.  [Note: Except those who have had throat surgery, cancer, neck chemotherapy, etc.]

Don't react to the quality or tone of voice -- don't read into or attach meaning to "how" a person with laryngitis may sound.  

                        The voice with laryngitis may have different qualities of "sound."  The voice may sound scratchy, raw, rough, squeaky, breathless, husky, airy, cranky, very low pitched or very high pitched -- all in one day, or even in one sentence!!    Others may attach emotional meanings to the voice quality or "tone" by thinking the person is bitchy, angry, irritable, rude, dismissive, demanding, or a whole range of other "meanings."  In fact, the person may feel in a good mood -- other than being irritated and frustrated with the fact that they cannot speak normally!  But that does not mean they are irritated, frustrated, or angry at YOU!

DO encourage the patient to:

Rest their voice.

Speak quietly, without whispering.

Drink lots of fluids.

Write notes to communicate.

Use hand gestures or point to communicate simple needs and wants.