My D (Junior in college) has auditions, placements, etc this week (starting tomorrow) and it sounds to me like she has laryngitis. She has been sick with a seemingly typical cold since Saturday, but her voice was shot as of yesterday. I thought it would have improved today, but it has not. I highly doubt the school medical office is going to be able to help her appropriately (this is no big deal for non-singers) but I don’t think I can get her in anywhere else immediately… especially not the specialist I’d normally take her to… without missing classes, etc already in the first few days of school
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In your experience, how quickly has a specialist been able to help your child in a similar situation? About 5 years ago she was put on steroids and told not to sing for 2 weeks, but that was after several weeks of sickness / coughing. I’m really hoping 2 weeks isn’t the best we can hope for. This came on pretty fast.
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Would / should we expect teachers to take her word for “I don’t think I should try to sing” or do I simply have to get her anywhere…any ENT , school doc, or even urgent care… just to try to get a note.
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Any other suggestions? She performs (under contract) regularly and is likely going to have to miss at least 2 shows. The schedule has slowed down from summer (4-6 gigs/wk to 1-3 gigs/wk) but basically, we still need to get her up and running FAST. We’ve tried various remedies with ginger, tumeric, etc., salt water gargles, specialty teas, ibuprofen, mucinex, etc. It’s still hot / humid here so we haven’t really been humidifying but I suppose she should start that tonight. Anybody have a miracle cure?
Sorry this is OT. I’m an “old poster” but I’ve been lurking here again to read all the new stories, and don’t know where else to ask for tips! Thanks!
I don’t have a singer in college doing auditions and all that, but when my younger daughter was in middle school, she had a scratchy throat/laryngitis the week of the school’s “talent show,” in which she was going to sing some song or another. The day of, she humidified, rested her voice, and guzzled Throat Coat tea with honey. No one knew she was sick when she sang whatever, it went great. The only downside is that after all that belting, her throat felt worse the next day. Long winded, so long story short: Throat Coat tea with honey?
Yikes. I would strongly suggest she talk with her teacher about what do…along with a doctor. Hopefully it passes quickly.
I hate to tell you that I had laryngitis that lasted 6 weeks. I have had it several times for one or maybe two weeks. The last time I went to the doctor after 2 weeks and she said…well some cases last up to 8 weeks.
I would be careful about “singing through it” if she wants to sing professionally. Get a doctor and the teacher’s opinions. I wish her a speedy recovery.
Straight from my D, a VP Sophomore at Oberlin:
- Depends upon what is going on. A virus may clear up in a couple of days, or it may take weeks or more. Make the appoint ASAP, so that when she CAN be seen, things go more quickly.
- D says “if her voice is ‘shot’ ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SING.” Your teacher should not only honor the decision not to sing, but heavily support this choice and even perhaps initiate this decision.
- The contracted gig is tough, but her contract should account for the possibility of illness; she may be required to see a doctor, which she should definitely do anyway.
From me (the Mom):
Sounds like you are doing all the right home remedies. I would shut down every single non-necessary activity; she should be in bed. No talking and especially, no whispering! Remember, a singing career spans many, many years. As hard as it is to say no right now, the long term health of your D’s voice is absolutely paramount. Singing while compromised in this way (even once) CAN lead to weeks or even months of vocal rest and therapy. Definitely see the ENT as soon as possible, and try not to panic.
This could be a virus contracted from the first days of being in close contact with new people, but I’m going to step up and say that she’s also singing way too much at her age if those “gigs” involve her really singing full voice that often. That kind of vocal stress combined with a virus puts tremendous stress on the vocal chords of youngsters whose placement and technique is not yet 100% solid.
It’s probably not necessary to rush her into the ENT (unless there is one close by with whom she has an established relationship) because steroids for singers are not a great idea unless absolutely necessary- the damage that can be done by singing on a bad throat “disguised” by steroids could take years to repair. Have her contact her teacher and explain the situation; they should be able to place/cast her from what they know from last spring and I’m sure that the department wouldn’t want her risking her future.
Thanks all.
I guess I’d like to know ASAP if complete voice rest is necessary or not. I feel like I should take her to the doctor I’d like her to see, not just anywhere. If it lasts more than a few days, I’d feel better if she had a laryngoscopy to see how bad the inflammation is, not just a GP or urgent care doc telling her to take some ibuprofen and get some rest.
She is usually very careful with her voice. I think the timing was just bad. She was taking consistent doses of meds for her mild cold symptoms to help her get through her 1st week of school (and long 12 hour days) and they were obviously doing a good job covering up the pain / inflammation. So she was practicing and the meds wore off and only then she realized how far / bad it had progressed in just 1 day. So, I guess I’m just nervous that she made it worse.
Her boyfriend does not sing and he lost his voice as well. So, maybe I’m overthinking this and it will just go away in a few days. It’s just hard because she has to make immediate decisions about what she should or should not do. Anyone who hears her talk can tell there’s a problem. I just don’t know if she should even be talking.
Hoping she sounds even a little bit better tomorrow.
I was kind of hoping someone had a magic cure for us to try…
For a short illness, her teachers should take her word that she can’t sing, and she shouldn’t need a note. Hopefully her voice teacher is monitoring how much outside singing she is doing and is supportive. My Junior VP daughter is pretty careful even when she’s healthy about where she spends her vocal “budget.” (Ensemble rehearsals are low on the list and she leads the altos at her church job.) Maybe get a sub for her gigs? Might be a nice opportunity for someone. I hope she recovers very, very quickly. All good advice above!
If she sounds sick, she simply shouldn’t sing. It doesn’t matter the diagnosis in the short run.
I find it very hard to imagine a teacher who would allow her to sing. My D got sick during the run of a school opera (in the chorus). Her teacher told the music director that my D would NOT sing. So his choice was to replace her or let her lip sync. She lip synced as they needed her on stage. My D was prevented from doing MT at her school due to “vocal protection”. It was painful for my D at first but now she knows that her teacher was right. Her voice has always been protected by her teachers.
On an aside, I was coxswain in college (I have a big voice in a small package lol). I yelled an 8 boat on the mighty mississippi and permanently damaged my vocal cords. In those days, if you hurt yourself, you were given a gold star for your stupid discipline and loyalty…and then a cox box (hooked to microphones under each seat so I no longer had to yell to be heard). Never thought to sue…as I was proud of being so stupid! But to this day, I have a permanent scratch in my voice and get laryngitis easily. The good news is I can’t sing at all…never could.
Well, I cannot believe how fast she bounced back. We usually do not have that kind of luck.
She could barely speak yesterday (and I am not exaggerating). She woke up sounding better but not great this morning. She had arranged to meet with her voice teacher and we were fully prepared to be told she should not sing.
By this afternoon, she had zero hoarseness / raspiness left.
I pumped A LOT of herbal remedies into her in a 24 hour period! I don’t know which (if any) is responsible for the miraculous recovery, but I’m just so relieved! I am honestly shocked. I have no better word. It’s like whatever this was left just as fast as it had come.
She was cleared to sing for her placement and then performed tonight - though she sang less than usual. Thankfully, more than one of the band members sing, so they had already changed up the set a bit to eliminate some of her usual songs and she had another girl sang a couple that require more “effort” just to be safe.
Phew. I’m just so glad today is over. Performance tomorrow (but a short one) and also a choir audition, but then a day off! YAY!
She does sing a lot for her age but is monitored closely for vocal health. Her song choices are checked to ensure there is no pushing or straining. She isn’t fatigued after performing, etc. She was just in transition from one teacher (summer) to the next (school) and happened to get sick while in limbo!
Thanks for all the well wishes everyone! Maybe they helped!