The most common conditions we treat are:

• ongoing hoarseness (makes the voice crackle and sound rough or breathy)
• vocal cord dysfunction (when the vocal cords don’t open like they should when breathing in and out)
• vocal nodules (calluses, or a hard formation of tissue, on the vocal cords — a common cause of hoarseness, often from overuse — for example, screaming, speaking in a strained voice, coughing or throat clearing. Or, nodules may be from a medical problem like allergies.)
• vocal cord paralysis (when the nerves in the vocal cords don’t work)

To figure out what’s causing your child’s voice problem and try to fix it, we offer:

• coordinated appointments with our specialists
• full evaluation by our trained speech-language pathologist and laryngologist (an ear, nose and throat doctor who specializes in problems with the larynx, or voice box)
• special diagnostic testing that looks at how your child’s voice box and vocal cords are working
• one-on-one appointments with a speech-language pathologist to focus on good “vocal hygiene.” That includes working on breathing and speaking techniques, and managing habits (like throat clearing or talking loudly).

At Nemours, our Voice Program team will give you treatment recommendations right at your first evaluation. And we’ll design the plan to fit your child’s specific needs. We’ll address any medical concerns and, if needed, focus on changes in behavior that could help put less stress on your child’s vocal cords.

Regional Voice Program Highlights

Services, programs and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.