ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Voice Disorders in Children Require a Team Approach

by Mary Beth Nierengarten • February 14, 2012

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

You Might Also Like

  • Professional Voice Care May Reduce Vocal Disorders in Children
  • Is Voice Therapy Effective in Managing Vocal Fold Nodules in Children?
  • Does a Multidisciplinary Approach to Voice and Swallowing Disorders Improve Therapy Outcomes?
  • Diagnosis, Treatment of Swallowing Disorders Require Focused Evaluation by Otolaryngologists
Explore This Issue
February 2012
Dr. Theis examines a patient.

Although voice disorders in children are not new, recognition of the need to address and treat these disorders in many children is increasing. Experts say this is fueled by two recent developments: improvements in diagnostic technology tailored to better accommodate the smaller anatomy of children and greater awareness that voice disorders in childhood may have a larger and more long-lasting impact on a child’s life than previously recognized.

The increased understanding is also leading to more physicians completing fellowships in both pediatric and adult laryngology. Although the number of otolaryngologists who have completed such double fellowships is small—about 10, according to Albert Merati, MD, professor and chief of the laryngology service at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle—Dr. Merati believes these double fellowships are the future.

“Pediatric voice care has been neglected for decades, or at least lost behind truly pressing issues like pediatric airway surgery,” Dr. Merati said. “If we knew for sure what the impact of having a disordered voice had on kids, that would help us motivate and educate families. We need the research to show us how to answer the question: Tell me why it matters?”

Increased Recognition

Voice disturbances in children are not uncommon. According to statistics cited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), hoarseness occurs in 6 to 23 percent of school-aged children. Although they were once thought to be a condition that could be outgrown, there is increased recognition that vocal disturbances in children can create lifelong communication and other problems if left untreated.

“In the past, practitioners have downplayed pediatric voice disorders because they believed that children would grow out of it, or if they would just stop yelling on the playground the hoarseness would go away,” said Shannon M. Theis, PhD, CCC-SLP, clinical assistant professor of communicative disorders at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health–Voice and Swallowing Clinics in Madison, Wis. “Now, we understand that pediatric voice disorders can have a significant effect on a child’s school performance, self-esteem and communicative effectiveness.”

According to Kittie Verdolini Abbott, PhD, professor of communication science and disorders at the University of Pittsburgh, who has helped treat children with voice disorders, some of the difficulties these children face include not being called on in class, being excluded from play, missing school due to voice therapy and behaving more aggressively.

A 2008 study found that chronic dysphonia in children negatively affected their lives by inviting negative attention and limiting their participation in important events (J Voice. 22(2):197-209).

Improved Diagnosis

Vocal disorders often refer to hoarseness, which is the most common symptom. According to Gayle Woodson, MD, professor and chair in the division of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Ill., hoarseness may be present at birth because of a congenital problem such as vocal fold paralysis or a laryngeal web but often presents later due to acquired vocal fold lesions or laryngitis.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 | Single Page

Filed Under: Departments, Laryngology, Pediatric, Practice Focus, Special Reports Tagged With: diagnosis, Dysphonia, Hoarseness, laryngology, pediatrics, technology, voice disordersIssue: February 2012

You Might Also Like:

  • Professional Voice Care May Reduce Vocal Disorders in Children
  • Is Voice Therapy Effective in Managing Vocal Fold Nodules in Children?
  • Does a Multidisciplinary Approach to Voice and Swallowing Disorders Improve Therapy Outcomes?
  • Diagnosis, Treatment of Swallowing Disorders Require Focused Evaluation by Otolaryngologists

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Non-Acidic Reflux Explains Lack of Response to H2 Blockers and PPIs
    • How 3D Printing Is Transforming the Pediatric Otolaryngology Field
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Why Virtual Grand Rounds May Be Here to Stay
    • Otolaryngologist Leverages His Love of Pinball into Second Business
    • These New Imaging Advances May Help to Protect Parathyroids
    • Is the Training and Cost of a Fellowship Worth It? Here’s What Otolaryngologists Say
    • Which Otologic Procedures Poses the Greatest Risk of Aerosol Generation?

Polls

Have you used 3D-printed materials in your otolaryngology practice?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.