title: Dysphonia Severity Index in Typically Developing Indian Children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dysphonia is a variation in an individual's quality, pitch, or loudness from the voice characteristics typical of a speaker of similar age, gender, cultural background, and geographic location. Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) is a recognized assessment tool based on a weighted combination of maximum phonation time, highest frequency, lowest intensity, and jitter (%) of an individual. Although dysphonia in adults is accurately evaluated using DSI, standard reference values for school-age children have not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to document the DSI scores in typically developing children (8-12 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 42 typically developing children (8-12 years) without complaint of voice problem on the day of testing participated in the study. DSI was computed by substituting the raw scores of substituent parameters: maximum phonation time, highest frequency, lowest intensity, and jitter% using various modules of CSL 4500 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average DSI values obtained in children were 2.9 (1.23) and 3.8 (1.29) for males and females, respectively. DSI values are found to be significantly higher (P = 0.027) for females than those for males in Indian children. This could be attributed to the anatomical and behavioral differences among females and males. Further, pubertal changes set in earlier for females approximating an adult-like physiology, thereby leading to higher DSI values in them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean DSI value obtained for male and female Indian children can be used as a preliminary reference data against which the DSI values of school-age children with dysphonia can be compared.
authors.affiliation: All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India.
authors.forename: Gopi Kishore
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pebbili
authors.affiliation: All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India.. Electronic address: juhi.aiish@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Juhi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kidwai
authors.affiliation: All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India.
authors.forename: Srushti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabnam
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D010699:Phonation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011627:Puberty; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors; D014833:Voice Quality
keywords: Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI); Highest frequency; Jitter %; Lowest intensity; Maximum phonation time