Maximum phonation time in pre-school children.
Past studies on the maximum phonation time (MPT) in children have shown different results in duration. This factor may reflect the neuromuscular and aerodynamic control of phonation in patients; such control might be used as an indicator of other evaluation methods on a qualitative and quantitative basis.


OBJECTIVE
To verify measures of MPT and voice acoustic characteristics in 23 children aged four to six year and eight months.


METHODS
The sampling process comprised a questionnaire that was sent to parents, followed by auditory screening and a voice perceptive-auditory assessment based on the R.A.S.A.T. scale. Data collection included the MPT.


METHODS
A prospective and cross-sectional study.


RESULTS
The MPT was 7.42s, 6.35s and 7.19s; as age increased, the MPT also increase significantly; the s/z relation at all ages was close to one.


CONCLUSIONS
The results mostly agree with the medical literature.MPT values, however, were higher than in other Brazilian studies. It may be concluded that the ages that were analyzed are going through neuromuscular maturation; lack of structural maturity and neuromuscular control was more evident in children aged four years.
Otorhino-Phonoaudiology Department, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS.
Carla Aparecida
CA
Cielo
Viviane Michele
VM
Cappellari
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors