title: Effects of voice therapy in school-age children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the overall efficacy of voice therapy for dysphonia in school-age children in two different cities in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine outpatients aged 7-15 years with persistent hoarseness for at least 2 months as a primary symptom. Ratings of the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain (GRBAS) scale, s/z ratio, and maximum phonation time (MPT). Voice therapy outcome data collected on three types of voice therapy (physiological, hygienic, and symptomatic).
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinics in university hospitals in two different cities in Turkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Voice therapy improved voice quality as assessed by an observer according to GRBAS rating system (P<0.0001). All the subjects demonstrated varying degrees of hoarseness (G1-G3) and strained (S1-S3) voices. Varying degrees of roughness (R1-R3) and breathiness (B1-B3) were also noted. In general, changes to the value of the grade (the measure of the overall degree of voice deviance) were statistically significant (t = -8.3; P<0.0001) before and after therapy. Significant changes were found in the s/z ratio when the values were compared before and after therapy sessions (t=11.08; P<0.0001). Changes in MPT were statistically significant for all types of voice therapy (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vocal nodules were the main cause of the school-age children's voice problems, accounting for 62.6% of the cases. Different types of voice therapy techniques could be used in school-age children. Many of these techniques can successfully restore the normal voice. However, in this study, all subjective voice ratings such as GRBAS, s/z ratio, and MPT statistically changed by symptomatic voice therapy techniques. Symptomatic voice therapy was found to be a successful method of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Speech and Voice Therapy Center, Baskent University, Adana, Akdeniz, Turkey. Electronic address: 444ozg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Özgül
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Akin Şenkal
authors.forename: Müzeyyen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Çiyiltepe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014834:Voice Training
keywords: Child; Evidence-based practice; Voice; Voice therapy