Voice therapy in pediatric functional dysphonia: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the efficacy of voice therapy according to Borragan's method associated to S. Magnani's vocal counselling in functional dysphonia in children.


METHODS
We prospectively treated 16 patients with vocal fold nodules (10 males, 6 females). Age ranged from 6 to 11 years with a mean age of 9 years. We performed a full screening phoniatric evaluation. In addition psychological tests were carried out to investigate psychological background.


RESULTS
We lost three patients at follow-up; one patient received surgery, eight patients healed (43.75%), four improved (25%). There was no statistical difference in the analysis of electroacoustical parameters while MPT significatively raised after therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
If patients have motivation voice therapy could improve functional dysphonia in children. It is also important psychological background. Further studies on bigger populations with long-term follow-up are needed.
Trani
Margherita
M
Policlinico di Modena, Clinica Otorinolaringoiatrica, Via del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy. niki.meg@tin.it
Ghidini
Angelo
A
Bergamini
Giuseppe
G
Presutti
Livio
L
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014834:Voice Training