The teacher's voice

Teachers' lack of knowledge about vocal disorders is frequently pointed out in the phonoaudiological literature. Teachers do not identify voice problems and only seek help when the disorder has reached its maximum degree. Aim: To correlate the presence of voice disorders (perceptual assessment) with self-reported vocal symptoms, laryngopharyngeal sensations and the vocal handicap index in teachers. Method: A study was carried out with 40 teachers (kindergarten I, II, III, primary and secondary) from a public school located in the interior of the state of São Paulo. The participants completed the Vocal Production Condition-Teacher (VPC-T) questionnaire (to find out about sociodemographic aspects, symptoms and laryngopharyngeal sensations) and the Vocal Disadvantage Index (VDI) (to find out about the impact of voice disorders on teachers' lives). After completing the questionnaires, a speech sample was taken from each of the 40 teachers to be analysed later by speech therapist judges.There was a statistically significant association between the presence of a voice disorder and the vocal symptom of hoarseness.