Voice
Voice problems in children are often characterized by a hoarse, scratchy voice. Sometimes the child will also lose their voice. Other characteristics include shooting pain between the ears, neck pain, decreased vocal pitch range and volume. Voice problems are usually due to vocal abuse.
Forms of vocal abuse in children:
Suggestions to help vocal abuse:
Information taken from: "Clinical Voice Pathology," J. Stemple, c. 1984, Merrill Publishing Co.
Voice problems in children are often characterized by a hoarse, scratchy voice. Sometimes the child will also lose their voice. Other characteristics include shooting pain between the ears, neck pain, decreased vocal pitch range and volume. Voice problems are usually due to vocal abuse.
Forms of vocal abuse in children:
- yelling from room to room
- shouting on the playground
- making funny noises, such as car noises, sound effects, and animated voices
- speaking with poor breath support
- frequent voluntary coughing and clearing of the throat
- allergies
Suggestions to help vocal abuse:
- use appropriate vocal behaviors yourself as a model
- encourage the child to limit screaming and yelling
- encourage the child to walk closer to who he/she is trying to talk to
- encourage the child to turn down volumes on TVs and radios when trying to talk to someone
- rest the voice after periods of excessive use
- prompt the child to take good speech breaths
- avoid caffeine, drink lots of water
Information taken from: "Clinical Voice Pathology," J. Stemple, c. 1984, Merrill Publishing Co.