Effect of Performance Time of the Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises in Dysphonic Children

SummaryObjectiveThis study aimed to verify the effects of execution time on auditory-perceptual and acoustic responses in children with dysphonia completing straw phonation exercises.Study designA randomized, prospective, comparative intra-subject study design was used.MethodsTwenty-seven children, ranging from 5 to 10 years of age, diagnosed with vocal cord nodules or cysts, were enrolled in the study. All subjects included in the Experimental Group were also included in the Control Group which involved complete voice rest. Sustained vowels (/a/e/ε/e/) counting from 1 to 10 were recorded before the exercises (m0) and then again after the first (m1), third (m3), fifth (m5), and seventh (m7) minutes of straw phonation exercises. The recordings were randomized and presented to five speech therapists, who evaluated vocal quality based on the Grade Roughness Breathiness Asthenia/Strain Instability scale. For acoustic analysis, fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, glottal to noise excitation ratio, and noise parameters were analyzed.ResultsReduced roughness, breathiness, and noise measurements as well as increased glottal to noise excitation ratio were observed in the Experimental Group after 3 minutes of exercise. Reduced grade of dysphonia and breathiness were noted after 5 minutes.ConclusionThe ideal duration of straw phonation in children with dysphonia is from 3 to 5 minutes.