$Unique_ID{PAR00104}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Hoarseness}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Hoarseness low-pitched Speaking crying whisper whispers whispering
voice Loss inhale steam drink warm liquids allergy antihistamines soft larynx
voice box swolen vocal cords cord abuse screaming croup laryngitis allergy
diphtheria larynx injury wart-like growths screamer's nodes lower pitch speak
cry fever cough coughing breathing difficulty sore throat nose obstruction
epiglottis speaks cries}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Hoarseness


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Speaking or crying in an unusually low-pitched voice
     - Inability to speak above a whisper
     - Loss of voice

     HOME CARE
     - Have the child rest his voice.
     - Encourage the child to inhale steam and drink warm liquids.
     - If hoarseness is caused by an allergy, antihistamines prescribed by the
       doctor should help.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Consult the doctor if the hoarseness is severe or persists longer than
       two to three days.
     - A baby is sometimes born with a soft larynx (voice box), which may give
       a hoarse note to the baby's cry.  This is nothing to worry about and
       usually disappears by the time the child is a year old.


     Anything that interferes with the normal vibrations of the vocal cords
can cause the cords to swell and produce hoarseness--distortion or loss of the
voice.  In children, the most common cause of hoarseness is abuse of the voice
by screaming.  Hoarseness can also be caused by croup, laryngitis, or an
allergy.  More rarely, the condition can result from diphtheria, injury to the
larynx, or a foreign body that the child has inhaled.
     Extreme hoarseness can cause temporary total voice loss.  Repeated
hoarseness leads to the formation of tiny, wart-like growths on the vocal
cords.  In children, these growths are known as "screamer's nodes. " (When
they occur in adults, they are referred to more politely as "singer's nodes.")
The presence of these nodes can cause the hoarseness to become a chronic
condition.
     A baby may be born with a soft, underdeveloped larynx that collapses
partially each time the baby takes in a breath; the baby makes a crowing
sound, and there may be a hoarse note to the cry.  This condition should clear
up without treatment; you do not need to be concerned about it.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Hoarseness may lead your child to speak or cry at a lower pitch than
usual, or to be unable to speak above a whisper.  Check whether the child has
other symptoms--fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat, or an
obstruction of the nose--that might be responsible for the voice change.  If
not, and if the child has been yelling or screaming a lot, it is probably a
simple case of hoarseness.

HOME CARE

     A hoarse child should rest his voice, inhale steam, and drink warm
liquids.  If the hoarseness is due to an allergy and antihistamines have been
prescribed for an allergic condition, the medication should relieve the
hoarseness.  Remember that hoarseness in a baby's cry, if it is happening
because the larynx is still soft, is not a cause for concern and should
disappear by the time the child is a year old.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Hoarseness in children is not usually due to any potentially dangerous
     cause.  If no other signs of illness are present, the home care
     recommended should take care of the problem.
  -  If the hoarseness gets more severe or persists for longer than a few
     days, consult your doctor.

     MEDICAL TREATMENT

     A doctor using a tongue blade and flashlight can see no farther than the
epiglottis (a "lid" that covers the voice box above the vocal cords) and
cannot examine the vocal cords.  If your doctor is concerned about the
hoarseness, you may be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, who
has the equipment necessary to perform a more complete examination.  It is
rarely necessary to surgically remove screamer's nodes.