- Department of Otolaryngology, The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK
- Mrs S. E. J. Leighton, F.R.C.S.(ORL), Consultant in Paediatric Otolaryngology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH
AbstractObjective We report our experience in developing a paediatric voice clinic within a tertiary otolaryngology department and describe the emerging role of this specialized clinic. Materials Currently our referral base is divided between other otolaryngologists within our department who require voice assessment as part of the pre- or post-operative management of laryngeal disorders (e.g. cysts, webs, vocal fold palsies, laryngo-tracheal reconstruction) and other professionals within our hospital who require characterisation of voice within the broader task of defining medical conditions in which voice abnormalities exist (e.g. mucopolysaccharidoses, functional dysphonias). Methods The patients were assessed by a team consisting of a paediatric laryngologist and a speech and language therapist. Each patient underwent a perceptual voice assessment and qualitative voice assessment using electrolaryngography. Direct visualisation was attempted and methods of and suitability for, such examination are discussed. Results Our experience is reviewed and guidelines for the establishment of a paediatric voice clinic are presented.
- 1 - sciences appliquees, technologies et medecines ; 2 - sciences biologiques et medicales ; 3 - sciences medicales