A model for treating voice disorders in school-age children within a video gaming environment.
OBJECTIVE
Clinicians use a variety of approaches to motivate children with hyperfunctional voice disorders to comply with voice therapy in a therapeutic session and improve the motivation of children to practice home-based exercises. Utilization of current entertainment technology in such approaches may improve participation and motivation in voice therapy. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using an entertainment video game as a therapy device.


METHODS
Prospective cohort and case-control study.


METHODS
Three levels of game testing were conducted to an existing entertainment video game for use as a voice therapy protocol. The game was tested by two computer programmers and five normal participants. The third level of testing was a case study with a child diagnosed with a hyperfunctional voice disorder. Modifications to the game were made after each feasibility test.


RESULTS
Errors with the video game performance were modified, including the addition of a time stamp directory and game controller. Resonance voice exercises were modified to accommodate the gaming environment and unique competitive situation, including speech rate, acoustic parameters, game speed, and point allocations.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of video games for voice therapeutic purposes attempt to replicate the high levels of engagement and motivation attained with entertainment video games, stimulating a more productive means of learning while doing. This case study found that a purely entertainment video game can be implemented as a voice therapeutic protocol based on information obtained from the case study.
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA. kings@surgery.wisc.edu
Suzanne N
SN
King
Larry
L
Davis
Jeffrey J
JJ
Lehman
Bari Hoffman
BH
Ruddy
D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013060:Speech; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018910:Video Games; D014831:Voice; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014834:Voice Training