Prepare for World Voice Day
Eager to celebrate World Voice Day (WVD), but not sure where to start? Then go to the Academy’s World Voice Day webpage at www.entnet.org/healthinformation/worldvoiceday.cfm. There you will find resources for physicians, patients, and media, including WVD event information and links to other voice-related websites. Introduction Otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons and other voice health professionals worldwide join together to recognize World Voice Day each year on April 16. The international observance encourages people of all ages to assess their vocal health and take action to improve or maintain good voice habits. The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery has sponsored the U.S. observance of World Voice Day since its inception in 2002. The Academy’s 2014 theme for WVD is Educate Your Voice. WVD Resources Resources found on the World Voice Day webpage include the official AAO-HNSF WVD poster that many members hang in their offices throughout the month of April, a WVD press release and local media outreach tips, and social media materials to help you spread the news about WVD on Facebook and Twitter. Voice Committee Members’ Bulletin articles and a running list of WVD media coverage are also available online. Last year CBS Local Radio, the Huffington Post – UK, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and several other institutions covered WVD. This year we hope to extend the coverage even further. Patient-Specific Resources If you have patients looking to learn more about the voice, our WVD page includes fact sheets as well as three different interactive activities. Found under the title “Voice Fact Sheets,” our list of fact sheets includes information about almost any common question, issue, or concern a patient could have about their voice. For the curious vocally healthy patient there is “About Your Voice,” “Keeping Your Voice Healthy,” and “Tips for Healthy Voices.” A patient who is experiencing vocal problems may find the following fact sheets to be helpful: “The Voice and Aging,” “Common Problems that can Affect Your Voice,” and “Hoarseness.” Finally, we have provided “Special Care for Voice Users” and “Effects of Medication on Voice” to help vocal professionals and teachers understand how to protect their main instrument. As a lighter way to help patients understand their voice and the importance of vocal care, our patient resource section includes three educational exercises. The first, “Rate Your Voice” is the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) Quiz. This is a quick ten-question quiz that has been adapted from the VocalHealthCenter of the University of Michigan’s “Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure” and is designed to help a non-physician quickly detect if his or her voice is in need of expert attention. Our “Identify Common Vocal Problems” quiz includes vocal samples to help the user learn what common vocal problems sound like. The vocal samples range from a normal child’s voice to a sample of spasmodic dysphonia. Our last exercise is geared toward vocal professionals and anyone about to participate in a vocally rigorous activity. We compiled a guide to eight simple warm-up exercises designed to prepare anyone for singing, public speaking, or any sort of potentially vocally strenuous event. WVD Events To see if there is an event near you, check out the WVD Events section of our World Voice Day page. Events listed will include those that we have been made aware of in advance such as a voice screening planned in Chicago, IL, and a WVD lecture for physicians and students in Hattiesburg, MS. WVD events range from screenings, lectures, and educational workshops to concerts and flash mobs. Related WVD Links Want more WVD information? Check out the list of domestic and international voice-related websites under “Join the World in Celebrating the Voice!” Be sure to visit www.entnet.org/worldvoiceday and get ready to celebrate World Voice Day April 16!
Eager to celebrate World Voice Day (WVD), but not sure where to start? Then go to the Academy’s World Voice Day webpage at www.entnet.org/healthinformation/worldvoiceday.cfm. There you will find resources for physicians, patients, and media, including WVD event information and links to other voice-related websites.
Introduction
Otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons and other voice health professionals worldwide join together to recognize World Voice Day each year on April 16. The international observance encourages people of all ages to assess their vocal health and take action to improve or maintain good voice habits. The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery has sponsored the U.S. observance of World Voice Day since its inception in 2002. The Academy’s 2014 theme for WVD is Educate Your Voice.
WVD Resources
Resources found on the World Voice Day webpage include the official AAO-HNSF WVD poster that many members hang in their offices throughout the month of April, a WVD press release and local media outreach tips, and social media materials to help you spread the news about WVD on Facebook and Twitter. Voice Committee Members’ Bulletin articles and a running list of WVD media coverage are also available online. Last year CBS Local Radio, the Huffington Post – UK, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and several other institutions covered WVD. This year we hope to extend the coverage even further.
Patient-Specific Resources
If you have patients looking to learn more about the voice, our WVD page includes fact sheets as well as three different interactive activities.
Found under the title “Voice Fact Sheets,” our list of fact sheets includes information about almost any common question, issue, or concern a patient could have about their voice. For the curious vocally healthy patient there is “About Your Voice,” “Keeping Your Voice Healthy,” and “Tips for Healthy Voices.” A patient who is experiencing vocal problems may find the following fact sheets to be helpful: “The Voice and Aging,” “Common Problems that can Affect Your Voice,” and “Hoarseness.” Finally, we have provided “Special Care for Voice Users” and “Effects of Medication on Voice” to help vocal professionals and teachers understand how to protect their main instrument.
As a lighter way to help patients understand their voice and the importance of vocal care, our patient resource section includes three educational exercises. The first, “Rate Your Voice” is the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) Quiz. This is a quick ten-question quiz that has been adapted from the VocalHealthCenter of the University of Michigan’s “Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure” and is designed to help a non-physician quickly detect if his or her voice is in need of expert attention. Our “Identify Common Vocal Problems” quiz includes vocal samples to help the user learn what common vocal problems sound like. The vocal samples range from a normal child’s voice to a sample of spasmodic dysphonia. Our last exercise is geared toward vocal professionals and anyone about to participate in a vocally rigorous activity. We compiled a guide to eight simple warm-up exercises designed to prepare anyone for singing, public speaking, or any sort of potentially vocally strenuous event.
WVD Events
To see if there is an event near you, check out the WVD Events section of our World Voice Day page. Events listed will include those that we have been made aware of in advance such as a voice screening planned in Chicago, IL, and a WVD lecture for physicians and students in Hattiesburg, MS. WVD events range from screenings, lectures, and educational workshops to concerts and flash mobs.
Related WVD Links
Want more WVD information? Check out the list of domestic and international voice-related websites under “Join the World in Celebrating the Voice!”
Be sure to visit www.entnet.org/worldvoiceday and get ready to celebrate World Voice Day April 16!