Laryngeal and vocal evaluation in untreated growth hormone deficient adults

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consequences of lifetime, severe and untreated isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) oil vocal and laryngeal function.STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional.SUBJECTS and METHODS: A total of 23 IGHD adult subjects and 22 controls were administered a questionnaire about vocal complaints and harmful voice habits, and underwent video-laryngostroboscopic examination, voice evaluation by perceptual-auditory analysis with GRBAS scale including grade of dysphonia, roughness, breathiness, asthenia and strain items, objective voice evaluation by maximum phonation time (MPT), and acoustic analysis.RESULTS: There was no difference in vocal complaints between IGHD Subjects and controls. Vocal abuse and smoking were more frequent in IGHD Subjects. IGHD subjects presented higher values for roughness, breathiness, and strain. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) signs and laryngeal constriction were more frequent in IGHD individuals. MPT was similar in the two groups. Fundamental frequency was higher in IGHD females and males. Harmonic to noise ratio was higher in IGHD in both genders and shimmer was lower in IGHD females.CONCLUSIONS: IGHD subjects have higher prevalence of signs of LPR and laryngeal constriction, with high pitch in both genders, which suggests a prominent role of IGHD oil these parameters. (C) 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.National Institutes of HealthUniv Fed Sergipe, Div Otorhinolaryngol, BR-49060100 Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilUniv Fed Sergipe, Div Endocrinol, BR-49060100 Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Speech Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilJohns Hopkins Univ, Sch Med, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol, Baltimore, MD 21205 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Speech Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilNational Institutes of Health: 1 R01 DK065718Web of Scienc

"King archie, who was quite grouchy" - a vocal dysphonia health education project O rei Sebastião que era muito resmungão

PURPOSE: one major cause of dysphonia can be linked to the presence of vocal folds nodules - a condition commonly seen in children due to vocal misuse and/or vocal abuse. The present health education project, also directed to parents and educators, aims at making children (the project's chief target-population) aware of how to make a correct use of their voice. METHOD: the target population includes parents, educators and children from both sexes and aged between five and eight years old. RESULT: a health education initiative was developed, which main instrument consists in a children's literature book, supplemented by an interactive CD. The instrument relies on a simple and easy-to-follow story where the issue of child dysphonia is addressed. CONCLUSIONS: the developed health education instrument is substantial for its chief target-population; it works as a suitable vehicle for promoting, in children, access, sensibility and awareness regarding aspects of one's voice one should be attentive to

Considerações teóricas sobre a relação entre respiração oral e disfonia Theoretical considerations on the relationship between mouth breathing and dysphonia

Sabe-se que a respiração oral pode ocasionar diversas alterações ósseas, posturais, musculares e funcionais, como também, alterações na qualidade e/ou comportamento vocal. Estas alterações podem comprometer a comunicação oral, na qual a voz não consegue desempenhar seu papel básico de transmissão da mensagem verbal e emocional do indivíduo. O indivíduo com respiração oral pode apresentar ressonância nasalizada e a voz pode apresentar alterações no traço de sonoridade, hiper ou hiponasal, ou rouca. A partir de pesquisa nas bases de dados LILACS, SciELO, livros, revistas especializadas sobre o tema, buscamos fazer uma revisão na literatura sobre a relação entre respiração oral e disfonia, analisando a influência das alterações causadas pela respiração oral na qualidade e/ou comportamento vocal. No entanto, foi possível observar que a respiração oral promove uma série de alterações estruturais significativas que refletem nas funções estomatognáticas, interferindo também na fonação. Contudo, poucos autores relatam a possível correlação entre esses dois parâmetros (respiração oral e disfonia).<br>It is known that mouth breathing can lead to several bone, postural, muscular and functional alterations, and also changes on vocal quality and/or vocal behavior. These alterations can compromise oral communication, in which the voice cannot perform its basic role on the transmission of an individual's verbal and emotional message. Individuals with mouth breathing can present hiper or hiponasal resonance, changes on voicing features and hoarseness. From researches on LILACS and SciELO databases, books and specialized magazines about the subject, it was carried a literature review about the relationship between mouth breathing and dysphonia, analyzing the influence of alterations caused by mouth breathing on vocal quality and/or vocal behavior. It was possible observe that mouth breathing promotes several significant structural alterations, which reflect on stomatognathic functions and on phonation. However, few authors report the possible correlation between mouth breathing and dysphonia