A Motor Speech Disorder Framework for a Neurogenic Voice Disorder: The Speech-Language Pathologist's Role in Pediatric Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

Purpose: This clinical focus article describes the speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) role in the acute management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) in the pediatric population. This article also examines BVFP with a novel motor speech disorder framework, as a differential diagnosis of dysarthria is absent from the current BVFP literature. Method: This case series presents three medically complex pediatric patients with BVFP in the acute care setting. Etiologies of BVFP include anti– N -methyl- D -aspartate receptor encephalitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and a traumatic blunt injury to the larynx. Conclusions: Early, tailored SLP involvement is indicated for patients with BVFP. SLPs can consider a motor speech framework to aid in the acute management, provider-to-provider communication, assessment, treatment, and future research of BVFP.