The respiratory organs in childhood differ in some features: the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi in children are relatively narrow and covered with a delicate mucous membrane; the elastic tissue of these organs, which is the supporting tissue, and the muscle tissue are poorly developed; The cartilage of the larynx is soft and easily compressed. The chest seems to be raised, the ribs cannot fall as low as in adults when breathing, so children are not able to take deep breaths, which limits the strength of the voice and the duration of the sound.

Another age-related feature of a child is uneven development of the body during growth. This also applies to the vocal apparatus. If the growth of the nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses basically ends by the period of puberty - 12-14 years, then all other organs complete their growth only with the end of this period - conditionally by 18-19 years. In addition, there is no parallelism between the growth and development of the functions of some organs.

The main color of a child's voice is its “silverness”. Every 2-3 years the voice changes its qualities. From “silver” with a sound range of 5-6 notes, it becomes rich, acquires a full sound, a “metallic” tint. The range gradually increases; in adolescents it can be equal to two octaves.

• Preschool (up to 7 years)
• Pre-mutation (7-12 years)
• Mutation (12-15 years)
• Post-mutation (15-17 years)

The preschool period is characterized by the fact that the child’s larynx has a rather high position compared to adults (it is located at the level of the C4-C5 vertebrae). In addition, there are a large number of mucous glands in all parts of the larynx, as well as lymphatic and connective tissue, which replace some of the missing intrinsic muscles of the larynx. In particular, the vocal muscles, located in the thickness of the vocal folds, develop by approximately 11-12 years, i.e. in the second period - premutation. Therefore, in children under 10 years of age, a falsetto mechanism of voice formation is observed, in the implementation of which a special role belongs to the cricothyroid muscle.

During a stroboscopic examination of the larynx (a special examination of the larynx in pulsed light mode) during phonation (pronunciation or singing of vowel sounds), in children from 7 to 10 years old, vibrations of only the free edges of the vocal folds are observed with relative rest of the remaining parts of the folds. The vocal folds never close completely, forming a triangular or linear gap. This is falsetto. By the age of 11-12, the vocal muscle begins to become independent and take part in the process of voice formation. At this age, another phonation mechanism appears - chest. At the lower tones of the range, a chesty voice appears, while at high tones the falsetto still remains. At the same time, in low tones the vocal folds close completely; in high tones there is a narrow linear gap characteristic of falsetto. Then comes the actual mutation.

Mutation is a period of voice change, a physiological condition associated with changes in the function of the larynx and the entire body during puberty. Usually this period passes unnoticed by the child and his parents and is not accompanied by any disturbances if the mutation proceeds slowly and gradually. In the acute course of the mutation, changes in the voice - breakdowns, the appearance of low sounds, a sudden “jumping into a fistula” - occur quickly. Such changes are noticeable for both the child and his parents. Singing children especially feel these symptoms. In some teenagers, the voice becomes rough, hoarse, without modulation.

The mutation occurs at the age of 12-15 years. The mutation is typical not only for boys, but also for girls. Although in girls, voice changes usually occur smoothly, without jumps, without painful phenomena in the larynx. During this period, secondary sexual characteristics appear. The child is extremely nervous. Pronounced anatomical changes occur in the larynx: the cartilages of the larynx increase in size (in boys the thyroid and cricoid cartilages are larger, in girls the arytenoid cartilages are larger. Therefore, in boys the larynx grows in length, in girls - in width). There is rapid growth of the vocal folds; during the period of mutation, their length in boys increases by 6-8 mm. The voice drops almost an octave. The timbre of the voice also changes: the voice goes from alto to tenor, baritone or bass. In girls, there is an expansion of the range towards both low and high frequencies.

The mutation period lasts, as a rule, 1-2 years, but sometimes it can be very short (several days or weeks) or several years. There are known cases of exceptionally rapid change of voice: a boy who spoke the day before in a child’s voice suddenly reveals the voice of an adult man. In boys who were sick a lot in childhood and are physically poorly developed, puberty is delayed. At the same time, the vocal apparatus also lags significantly behind in development. In these cases, the voice may remain infantile for a long time, already at the age of an adult man.

The reasons for the change in voice during the mutation period are considered to be a violation of the coordination of the function of the external and internal muscles of the larynx and a lack of coordination between breathing and phonation. During this period, singing children experience a slight deepening of their voice, a slight narrowing of its range; high notes, which were previously easy to hit, are difficult to hit. The vocal folds may thicken, turn red, and have an abundance of mucus on them. This is manifested by hoarseness of varying degrees of severity, rapid fatigue of the voice, and the occurrence of unexpected breakdowns in the voice when singing. In girls during the mutation period, pronounced voice changes are not often observed, in approximately 40% of cases. During menstruation, it is recommended to exempt girls from singing.

The practical experience of phoniatrists and vocal teachers has shown that most children during the mutation period can sing. However, compliance is required protective voice mode:

• Do not try to speed up the process of larynx formation in any way.
• For this purpose, do not use the repertoire of adult singers.
• Allow the teenager to sing only in the middle range that is comfortable for his voice.
• Do not sing with obvious, gross changes in voice.
• Sing less in the choir.
• Prefer vocal lessons with experienced teacher

Mutation is a physiological process. But it doesn't always go smoothly. In this regard, the following mutational disorders are distinguished:

Lingering mutation . This is a mutation that does not end within 2 years, but lasts much longer.

Persistent falsetto . This is an unpleasant squeaky voice from a young man after a period of mutation. It occurs as a result of impaired coordination of the vocal folds and anterior muscles of the larynx (the latter predominate).

Disguised disorders. These are, as a rule, attacks of uncontrollable reflex coughing that appear in boys singing in a choir, without visible signs of mutation.

Premature mutation . A situation that occurs very rarely. It is usually associated with early puberty of the child or the use of a forced style of singing. It manifests itself in the fact that a boy of 10-11 years old, sometimes earlier, develops a rough, low, masculine voice.

Belated mutation is a mutation that occurs after the completion of the period of sexual development, for example, at 20-25 years.

Secondary mutation - This is a sudden change in voice timbre already in adulthood.

Childhood and adolescence are characterized by instability of the nervous system. Excessively loud singing, screaming, uncontrolled singing, non-compliance with the age range (singing “adult” songs), complexity of the vocal repertoire, solo performances on stage, singing during a respiratory illness can lead to significant voice disorders and the development of diseases such as nodules, polyps and vocal fold cysts, chronic laryngitis, submucosal hematoma of the larynx (bleeding into the vocal fold). Children with high temperament, who are said to not sit still for a minute, talk a lot, scream, and often suffer from laryngeal nodules (“screamer’s nodules”). By the evening, their voice “sags”, hoarse, sometimes the voice is completely sonorous, the child speaks in a whisper. Stressful situations, fright, fear, anxiety, especially in girls, can cause hysterical aphonia. Various diseases of other organs contribute to the occurrence of voice disorders in children: rhinosinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, hearing loss, chronic bronchitis and tracheitis, diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine diseases.

Any voice disorder that persists for a long time requires a thorough examination of the child. This requires consultation with an otorhinolaryngologist-phoniatrist with a mandatory examination of the larynx. For this purpose, various techniques are used, ranging from simple laryngoscopy using a laryngeal mirror to optical endoscopy of the larynx. Optical endoscopy of the larynx can be performed either with a rigid endoscope or with a fiberscope. Both methods are highly informative. However, only laryngeal stroboscopy can reveal the smallest changes in the vibrator activity of the vocal folds, which is very important in singing children, especially during the period of mutation.

It must be remembered that it is easier to prevent voice disorders. How to do this? One of the basic rules of hygiene and protection of the voice of children and adolescents is systematic singing lessons with an experienced teacher. At the same time, the vocal folds are strengthened, which contributes to the intensive and systematic development of the vocal apparatus. Studies have shown that singing has a beneficial effect not only on the larynx, but also on the child’s body as a whole and on his intelligence. This is a kind of gymnastics that promotes proper development of the chest, regulates the function of the cardiovascular system and instills artistic skills in the child. However, you also need to be able to sing correctly, otherwise various pathologies of the larynx develop. The repertoire for singing must be correctly selected in terms of range, the text is understandable for the child. In the pedagogical process, maximum simplicity in communication with the child is necessary; the tasks assigned to him must be clearly formulated and accessible. Singing lessons should not exceed 30-45 minutes.

Taking into account the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the vocal apparatus of children during their growth, it is necessary to pay great attention to strengthening the child’s body. Both doctors (pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists), and the child’s parents, as well as their grandparents, must remember the extreme fragility of children’s voices. To prevent persistent voice disorders in a child, it is necessary to maintain vocal hygiene, sanitize foci of chronic respiratory tract infection, and if a voice disorder appears in the form of hoarseness, roughness, or hoarseness, timely contact a phoniatrist.

In medical practice, this condition is called dysphonia. Parents should pay close attention to the sudden appearance of a low timbre of the voice, heavy breathing along with a wheezing voice, a jerky rough cough along with hoarseness.

Most often, hoarseness is a symptom of a disease, and not the main ailment. Therefore, if you find such manifestations in a child, you should consult a doctor.

Sometimes the cause of vocal changes is voice overexertion: loud screaming, prolonged conversations in the frosty air. As a result, minor damage to the capillaries in the periphery provokes swelling of the vocal cords. This condition is not considered dangerous, and the voice is restored within two to four days with the use of antiseptic lozenges.

Other common causes of hoarseness can be:

• ENT diseases of viral, fungal or bacterial etiology: tonsillitis, pharyngitis. Such symptoms often accompany rapidly occurring laryngitis. The inflammatory process causes swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords. The lumen changes and the child’s voice becomes hoarse. If the disease becomes chronic, then a hoarse voice may remain forever.
• Hoarseness is characterized by the course of endocrine diseases: for example, disorders of the thyroid gland change the position of the ligaments, cause swelling and the child may become hoarse.
• Severe stressful conditions and prolonged psychological stress can cause dysphonia or aphonia.
• Traumatic injuries - for example, a foreign object entering the larynx, chemical burns of the mucous membrane (acids, household chemicals entering the throat).
• Allergic reactions: under the influence of allergens, the vocal cords change - tissue thickening occurs, local irregularities appear. These disorders are the cause of hoarseness. Complaints of difficulty breathing are possible; angioedema is considered as an extreme option. At the first signs of stenosis, you should call a doctor.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The symptoms that accompany hoarseness may vary depending on the underlying condition. A change in the timbre of the voice is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort in the throat, which the baby may call dryness, soreness, or describe in other terms.

To find out why a child’s voice disappears or becomes hoarse, the doctor prescribes a pharyngo- or laryngoscopy, clinical studies, including allergy tests. It is worth checking for the presence of gastroesophageal reflux.

How to relieve your baby’s condition at the first signs of hoarseness

• You should ensure a “silence” mode, exclude irritating foods, hot or cold drinks. Only neutral products are recommended.
• It is advisable to brew softening, disinfecting herbal teas: chamomile, sage. You can drink slightly warmed milk with a spoon of butter or honey. The nuances of using inhalation, including with a nebulizer, and rinsing should be agreed with the treating doctor.
• Humidify the air in the room. Optimal humidity should be between 60-70%. This indicator can be achieved using modern humidifiers, placing containers with evaporating clean water in the room.

If the problem is only spontaneous overexertion, then older children will be helped by a gentle voice mode plus the dissolution of plant-based antiseptic lozenges - for example, Isla containing Irish moss, inhalation (preferably with a nebulizer) or rinsing.

What medications will help with hoarseness?

When a child has a hoarse voice, then most often manifestations of ARVI or tonsillitis develop in parallel. To make the right prescriptions, the doctor takes into account the child’s age, tendency to allergic reactions, the presence of other diseases, and the individual characteristics of the body.

Inflammatory ENT diseases and systemic drugs

For illnesses caused by bacteria, the otolaryngologist prescribes a course of antibiotics. These can be penicillins (Amoxiclav, Flemoclav), macrolides (Sumamed, Azitsin), cephalosporins. Active substances suspend the activity of pathogenic microorganisms or destroy them, which contributes to the disappearance of the source of inflammation.

Antiviral drugs will help defeat a viral infection: Amizon, Arbidol, Anaferon. These medications are used as a prophylaxis for respiratory diseases, to increase the body's protective properties.

When fungal pathogenic microflora is activated, children are prescribed antimycotics: Fluconazole, Diflucan, Mikosist, Fucis. The doctor calculates the dose for each baby; there is no need to increase it - such a step will not speed up recovery.

Systemic drugs fight directly against the causative agent of the disease, and also quickly improve the general condition of the child.

Additional medications

For preschoolers, syrups or suspensions are preferred, and adolescents can be given tablets in a calculated dosage. Lozenges, sprays, rinses, and inhalations are popular as symptomatic remedies.

Antiseptics and analgesics

For children under 3 years of age, the doctor selects medications especially carefully. Why are mild aerosols not prescribed for babies? Irrigation of the throat is safe only in preschool age: young children do not know how to hold their breath and using the spray can cause spasms. Therefore, infants and children of the second and third year of life are sprayed with aerosols on the cheek or given a pacifier treated with antiseptics.

Available in spray and rinse form. It can be used from an early age; the medicine has a neutral taste and no odor. Disinfects, softens the mucous membrane and vocal cords, due to which hoarseness goes away and the child’s voice is restored. The solution is used for rinsing and inhalation.

Agisept

Lozenges can be given from 5 years of age. The medicine combines antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and is a weak analgesic. The pleasant taste is attractive to children.

Lisak

An excellent disinfectant that is also active against fungi and bacteria. The product acts directly on the source of inflammation and increases local immunity.

Falimint, Isla, Tantum Verde spray, Efizol, Laripront are effective. Medicines from this series soften the throat and remove a hoarse voice.

Antihistamines

These medications are designed to relieve swelling and prevent unwanted reactions of the body to the use of other medications. Ketotifen will prevent laryngospasm from developing. Zitrek, Aleron, Loratadine, Erius will have a pronounced anti-edematous effect and will quickly restore the child’s voice.

Healing procedures

It’s easy to make inhalation solutions yourself. These can be decoctions of chamomile, sage, calendula, coltsfoot, and eucalyptus. Herbal infusions are useful: healers recommend mixing the ingredients in equal proportions. Traditionally, you will need 1 table. spoon of dry raw materials per glass of water. It makes sense to use solutions of essential oils of sea buckthorn, tea tree, rose hips - a few drops per glass.

Solutions should not be warmer than 40-50°C; what is important is not hot heat, but therapeutic vapors with phytoncides.

If there is a cough and the pharyngeal mucosa is irritated, then alkaline inhalations with Borjomi are used. Such procedures are more effective with a nebulizer. The device makes the process absolutely safe. Solutions of Miramistin, Dioxidin (1k4), pharmaceutical tincture of eucalyptus (15 drops per glass of saline solution) can be placed in the container - 3 ml of medicine is enough for one session.

Otolaryngologists note that gargling can be done after 4 years - you just need to teach the baby to hold his breath. For the procedure, you should use ready-made solutions of Furacilin, Tantum Verde, Rotocan or herbal decoctions. Furacilin tablets are diluted in warm water at the rate of 2 tablets per glass, the drug takes a long time to dissolve, so you need to start preparing the morning portion of rinse in the evening.

Anti-inflammatory compresses made from heated cottage cheese in a gauze cover and mashed cabbage leaf are shown: the compress is applied to the throat, covered with polyethylene, and wrapped in several layers of warm cloth.

After recovery, special attention is paid to hardening procedures. It is advisable to exclude carbonated drinks, chips, spicy dishes, and an abundance of sweets from the diet altogether.

Squeaky, rooster cry
The sooner parents worry about why their child needs to express himself with non-stop yelling, and consult a doctor, the sooner the young patient’s normal voice will be restored

The conversation with otorhinolaryngologist Yuri Soldatsky began quite unusually.
– Do you like my voice? – he asked.
“The glory of Kozlovsky and Chaliapin, of course, does not threaten you,” I tried not to offend my interlocutor.
But Yuri Lvovich easily cut off my diplomatic antics:
– Do you know why I have such an ugly voice? Spoiled by football. I was “raised” by Dynamo Moscow. As a boy, I never missed a single match. I rooted for my favorite team until I was hoarse and whispering. After the stadium, my mother always gave me hot milk and honey. So I got off easy...
The voice must be protected and nurtured. If a person cannot communicate in a normal voice, he feels inferior. I once read a story about an American teenager who was nicknamed “Robot” by his peers because of his ugly, unnatural voice. How happy he was when the doctors restored his ability to speak like everyone else!

A hoarse voice in a child is a serious symptom that parents should definitely pay attention to. Perhaps the cause was diseases requiring surgical intervention. Among small, hoarse patients there are those who suffer from congenital diseases of the larynx - papillomatosis, cysts. Hoarseness often occurs after intubation - when, during a narrowing of the larynx or during an operation for anesthesia, doctors are forced to insert a special tube into the patient’s larynx and trachea through which he can breathe.
Often, it is possible to determine the reason why a child’s normal voice has disappeared only with the help of a microscope. But parents, as soon as they hear that such a detailed examination must be carried out under general anesthesia, immediately leave the hospital with their child. And after some time, dad and mom may bitterly regret it. It’s good if the family lives in a big city and the parents have time to take the child to the hospital...
Soldatsky’s recent patient was a boy whom doctors treated for a long time, suspecting false croup. But it turned out that the fact that the child was choking and wheezing like a hoarse old man was to blame for the sunflower seed stuck in his throat. And it stayed there for a whole month! Another child lost his voice due to a pistachio shell lodged in his larynx.
Sometimes chronic hoarseness is associated with a disturbance in the child’s psycho-emotional state. The disease is explained by the fact that calluses appear on the vocal folds from the endless scream that their owner makes - the so-called singer's nodules (or nodules of screamers). First, tiny bubbles appear on vocal cords tired from screaming. If a child does not give his throat a break, the bubbles harden and turn into compactions, which greatly bother him. The throat is sore, the throat is hoarse, the child constantly wants to clear his throat. Calm children do not have this problem. But in many people who scream and cry loudly, the children's larynx cannot withstand such a heavy load. The child urgently needs to be shown to a neuropsychiatrist, because in order to restore a clear voice, he must first be calmed down.
An older child can already be taught to manage his emotions, and then shown how to use his vocal cords correctly. When such a child ends up in the 12th ENT department of the St. Vladimir Hospital, patients in all wards will find out about it within a couple of hours. The department is literally standing on ears. Such children are disinhibited, they have nowhere to put their remarkable energy, they want to run somewhere all the time, they have difficulty falling asleep. Therefore, before a voice specialist - a phoniatrist - gets down to business, a neuropsychiatrist will work with the child for a long time. The sooner parents worry about why their child needs to express himself by non-stop screaming, and the sooner the doctor begins to treat these psychoneuroses, the more successful the therapy will be and the sooner the patient will regain a normal voice.
What if the child has no visible anatomical changes in the larynx, but still no voice? Then doctors make a diagnosis of functional dysphonia. The child does not use his vocal apparatus correctly. There is only incomplete or insufficient closure of the vocal folds. During normal breathing, the vocal folds move apart. And when we start talking, they should close. It happens that a small patient once suffered from acute laryngitis, in which any spoken word was painful for him. And the child quickly formed a reflex. Paresis of the vocal cords - a violation of their mobility, which leads to a change in voice - can be compared to paresis of an arm or leg: the person seems to be walking normally, but if you look closely, there is a slight limp. In order for such a child to return to a normal voice, painstaking sessions with a phoniatrist are again needed.
Parents should be very attentive to teenagers who experience voice mutation. When a boy matures, his voice is not very beautiful. The teenager does not own it. He crows like a rooster or wheezes very much, he is embarrassed to even say a word in company. Typically, age-related voice changes occur in a child at 12–13 years of age and last for about six months. If the mutation drags on, in order for the young man to develop a beautiful, strong voice, it must be shown to a specialist.
Vocal teachers often send their students to see Soldatsky because they are worried that the leading soloist of the choir is losing his voice at such an inopportune time. After classes with a phoniatrist, the young men leave the clinic no longer with a squeaky, broken treble, but with a pleasant baritone.
An adult - especially if he is a singer, actor or teacher - takes care of his ligaments. When it's cold, she covers her neck with a scarf and doesn't walk around with her neck wide open in winter. It wouldn’t occur to him to eat handfuls of snow in the yard or scream in the street, giving out a lot of decibels. And children in games of mischief scream like the trumpet of Jericho. Try to explain to your child that his voice needs to be protected.
Convince your teenager that singing and speaking “like Vysotsky” if he doesn’t have a natural bass with a hoarseness is also not worth it. Violating his voice at such a young age, a boy can develop nodules on his vocal cords and remain hoarse for the rest of his life.

Elena KOSTINA

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"First of September"

A lot of scientific works have been written about mutational changes in the voice of boys, although this phenomenon is quite common. A change in voice timbre occurs during the growth of the vocal apparatus. The larynx first increases significantly in size, while the thyroid cartilage bends forward. The vocal folds lengthen and the larynx moves downwards. In this regard, an anatomical change in the vocal organs occurs. If we talk about voice mutation in boys, then unlike girls, everything is more pronounced in them.

The mechanism of voice failure in boys

As stated earlier, voice change occurs through the enlargement of the larynx during growth. However, during puberty, in boys, the larynx increases by 70%, in contrast to girls, the vocal tube, which only doubles in size.

1. Pre-mutation period.

This stage manifests itself as the body’s preparation for the restructuring of the vocal apparatus. If we talk about the spoken voice, then there may be voice breakdowns, hoarseness, coughing, and an unpleasant “sore feeling.” The singing voice is more informative in this case: voice breakdowns when taking the extreme notes of a young man’s range, unpleasant sensations in the larynx during vocal lessons, “dirty” intonation, and sometimes loss of voice. At the first bell, you should stop practicing, since this period requires rest of the vocal apparatus.

1. Mutation.

This stage is characterized by swelling of the larynx, as well as excessive or insufficient mucus production. These factors cause inflammation, thereby the surface of the ligaments acquires a characteristic color. Overexertion can lead to wheezing, and subsequently to “non-closure of the vocal folds.” Therefore, during this period it is worth paying close attention to, including the prevention of colds and viral diseases. There is instability of the voice, distortion of sound, as well as characteristic hoarseness. When singing, tension in the vocal apparatus is observed, especially when jumping over wide intervals. Therefore, in your classes you should lean towards singing exercises, rather than compositions.

1. Post-mutation period.

Like any other process, voice mutation in boys does not have a clear boundary of completion. Despite the final development, fatigue and tension of the ligaments may occur. During this period, the changes that have occurred are consolidated. The voice acquires a fixed timbre and strength. However, the stage is dangerous due to its instability.

Features of mutation in boys

Signs of voice breakdown in young men are more noticeable and this is due, first of all, to the fact that the male voice, in fact, is much lower than the female one. The mutation period occurs in a short time. There are cases when it happens almost instantly. However, in most cases, the restructuring of the body is delayed for several months. Just yesterday, a boyish treble could develop into a tenor, baritone or powerful bass. It all depends on genetically determined indicators. For some young men, significant changes occur, while for others, the transition to an adult voice is not expressed in clear contrast.

Voice mutation in boys most often occurs at the age of 12-14 years. However, you should not rely on this age as the norm. There are many factors that can affect both the start date and the duration of the process.

Firstly, the natural climate undoubtedly influences. Conducted research has proven that in different climatic conditions the process of “maturing” the voice occurs in different ways, and the age of restructuring ranges from 11 to 20 years.
Secondly, the genetic factor. The settings initially laid down in the body cannot be changed.
Thirdly, the mechanical factor. That is, the restructuring may be disrupted for some reason. They can be, for example, disorders of the vocal apparatus, somatic diseases.

Hygiene of the singing voice during the mutation period in boys

Mutation of the singing voice is a complex process that requires a lot of attention from vocal teachers or phoniatrists accompanying the educational process. Measures for the protection and hygiene of the voice should be carried out comprehensively, and they should begin in the pre-mutation period. This will avoid disruption of voice development, both at the physical and mechanical level.

Vocal lessons should be conducted in a gentle manner. However, during this period it is better to refuse individual lessons, since such classes are designed for the comprehensive development of voice abilities. And during the period of voice failure in boys, any overstrain of the ligaments is prohibited. However, there is an alternative - these are choral classes and ensembles. As a rule, young men are given an easy part, a range that does not exceed fifths, usually in a small octave. All these conditions are not valid if the process is accompanied by periodic voice failures, wheezing or instability of unison pronunciations.

Mutation in young men is undoubtedly a complex process, but with the right approach and compliance with the postulates of voice protection and hygiene, you can “survive” it without consequences and with benefit.

Squeaky voice

Asked by: Alena, Novokuznetsk

Gender: Male

Age: 7

Chronic diseases: not specified

Hello, I'm not entirely sure that I'm contacting you correctly. The thing is that my son has a squeaky voice. Not always. He speaks normally, but if he calls or tells something quickly, he starts squeaking. Naturally, his classmates laugh at him. In kindergarten he worked with a speech therapist and was assigned the sound r. We didn't apply anywhere else. Tell me, maybe I need to do some exercises? Or who should I contact? My husband says that he will grow up and his voice will change, but I am very worried about ridicule. Even the teacher says it’s just terrible. I control him at home, I force him to control himself, but he is a child and still does as he pleases.

1 answer

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A squeaky voice is a big problem for others and for the owner. It's good that you paid attention to this. The voice is an instrument, and of course you can change its pitch. But it's not easy. It is necessary to perform exercises for proper breathing. With a squeaky voice, a person does not breathe correctly. Breathing is shallow, not deep. First, try to teach your child to breathe not from the chest, but from the stomach (inflate the stomach). Of course, it’s not easy for me to explain this in words, I advise you to find a video (for example) of Anastasia Khmelnitskaya. I think she explains and shows all the voice training exercises very clearly. But do not forget that the process is quite long and requires constant monitoring. Exercises should be performed daily, or even several times a day. But don’t overdo it, everything should be in moderation. There is an expression “beat off your hands”, you of course understand what this means. Praise your child more often and correct him tactfully. Children are happy to work only when they succeed. Therefore, there is less criticism. Good luck.

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