Communication is so vital for navigating the world around us. These days, pretty much everybody has their own cellphone (or two…) and you can’t walk down the street without bumping into somebody texting or yammering away into their Bluetooth headset. But what if you found yourself suddenly unable to speak? Even worse, what if you could barely breathe? If you had paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM), this scenario would be commonplace for you. Fortunately, speech therapy can help.
Preventing Voice Disorders in Children
Speech DisordersIf you’re a sports fan, you’ve probably watched or listened to “Mike and Mike” on ESPN. The duo are among the funniest sports broadcasters around, but even the mighty Mike Golic was not immune to something that your child might experience at some point: a voice problem. Golic tried to work on the show this morning, but he was sent home pretty quickly when his voice simply couldn’t handle it.
Everyone comes down with a sore throat every now and then, but what happens when it turns into a voice disorder? We all know that taking vitamin C and other healthy supplements can help carry you through cold and flu season, but how do you prevent voice disorders in children?
Voice Disorders
Speech DisordersThere are many different kinds of voice disorders, or vocal disorders. They range from mild to severe. Most often, a voice disorder in a child is a result of excessive yelling, coughing, throat clearing, or similar activities. They may also be caused by environmental factors, such as irritants, or by congenital abnormalities. If your child’s voice seems unusual bring him to his pediatrician to have him evaluated for a possible voice disorder.