title: Evaluation of the vocal performance of children using a voice range profile index.
abstract: Voice range profiles (VRPs) were analyzed according to 11 frequency, intensity, and morphological characteristics for 94 normal children and 136 children with vocal fold pathologies (ages 6-11 years). Normative data are presented showing marked differences between the groups. Using a specific combination of the child's age, the highest vocal fundamental frequency, the lowest intensity, and the slope of the upper VRP contour, a Voice Range Profile Index for Children (VRPIc) may be constructed using discriminant analysis. It is shown how the VRPIc can be used to screen children for vocal disorder or to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of voice treatment. Since the group means of the VRPIc for healthy and dysphonic children are scaled to +10 and -10, respectively, the VRPIc enables the clinician to rate a child's vocal performance with reference to healthy and dysphonic children in general. The sensitivity and specificity of this method was found to be 90% and 83%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heylen
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Wuyts
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bodt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pattyn
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Croux
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D013070:Speech Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014833:Voice Quality