Childhood dysphonia is a disorder that can be prevented. Both early detection and the promotion of healthy habits and behaviors in the child can reduce the degree of vocal disability.
The family and educators (usually the music specialist teacher) tend to be the ones who detect voice problems in the child. But not all teachers consider a systematic observation of their students' voice, and many parents adjust to their child's voice and do not see it altered.
Therefore, an early detection is necessary to help identify cases of dysphonia in children.
Pediatric doctors could also be preventive agents if, in their periodic health checks of the child, when exploring the voice of active children in a process of referral and diagnosis to the otolaryngologist or phoniatrist in case of alert.
In the first years of life, the pediatrician must observe the type of crying and the characteristics of the voice, taking as warning signs:
- 12 months: I cry broken
- 24 months: crying broken and scratchy voice
- 36 months: hoarse, serious, rough voice
- 48 months: voice hoarse, serious, rough. It returns afonic of the excursions and it takes several days to recover the voice
- from 5 years: voice hoarse, serious, rough. It returns afonty of the excursions and it takes several days to recover the voice. The music specialist teacher reports that he does not reach the high notes. Extralaringeal tension is observed. (In this case, the procedure to follow would be the referral to the phoniatrist or the otolaryngologist)
If at the age of five or six years the vocal characteristics of the doorbell are not normal or the family observes any complications, a consultation with the medical specialist should be requested.
Both the family and the school must be the main agents for the establishment of healthy habits. In the daily life of family life and without significantly altering school programs, it is possible to educate children in a healthy voice culture.
