This is the first of two volumes that draw on the specialized insights and extensive clinical experience of phoniatric experts in order to offer a basis for the development of concerted European training standards in phoniatrics, with the goal of guaranteeing a high quality of care for European patients in all age groups. The interdisciplinary character of phoniatrics is mirrored in the inclusion of valuable contributions from a range of other medical and non-medical disciplines. This volume focuses on voice disorders and disorders of language and hearing development. In each case a wide range of particular kinds of communication loss are considered. Basic aspects are fully addressed, and guidance provided on diagnostic methods, differential diagnosis, prevention, treatment/rehabilitation, and prognosis. An introductory section also discusses the fundamentals of phoniatrics.