Voice Therapy in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Guidelines for Clinical Practice.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, COVID-19 health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from five different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULTS: The clinical guide provides 65 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendation; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

Terapia Vocal No Contexto Da Pandemia Do Covid-19; Orientações Para A Prática Clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from five different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULT: The clinical guide provides 79 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendation; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

Terapia de voz en el contexto de la pandemia covid-19; recomendaciones para la práctica clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, COVID-19 health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from 5 different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULTS: The clinical guide provides 79 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendations; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

The Brazilian Phonoaudiology Association Responds to Challenges Brought by COVID-19

Purpose: The pandemic created new and urgent challenges to professionals in the field of communication sciences and disorders known as Phonoaudiology in Brazil. The Brazilian Association of Phonoaudiology has the second-largest group of professionals in this field. This article presents actions and projects of the scientific association taken to support clinical and teaching practices in Brazil to face of the challenges posed by the pandemic. In addition, broad strategies were implemented to address the current and future challenges to speech therapists in Brazil.Conclusions: The Brazilian Association of Phonoaudiology heard the demands of the phonoaudiologists and reacted quickly using all available resources to face the unprecedented challenges imposed by the pandemic. Immediate and future challenges included being present in the life of the average phonoaudiologist, as a scientific and professional robust network, and enlarging the number of members to represent all of Brazil, a country with geographic, racial, linguistic, and economic complex diversity.