Subjective Evaluation of Voice Characteristics of School Aged Children in a Basket Ball Team.

Voice disorders have been estimated to be present in between 3 and 9% of general population. Sports children have vocal abusive behavior i.e. the extra effort which they put on their voice while playing, leading to voice disorders. It is imperative to find out the voice characteristics of children involved in sports activity. To assess voice characteristics of school aged children, who are active participants in a basket ball team. A group of twenty children (13 males and 7 females) were included in the study. He or she was member of school basket ball team and had participated in many events. The perceptual voice assessment was conducted using GRBAS scale, Buffalo III Voice Profile and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Findings on GRBAS voice rating scale-In the first parameter i.e. grade 46.7% of the subjects reported slight hoarse component. In the second parameter i.e. Roughness 46.7% of the subjects showed slight roughness component. In another parameter i.e. the asthenia 20% % of the subjects reported slight asthenia component in their voice. In the next parameter i.e. strain in the voice, 26.7% of the subjects showed slight strain component in their voice. Finding on BUFFALO III voice screening profile-In the laryngeal tone, 46.7% of the subjects showed mild hoarse component. Findings on voice handicap index (VHI)-28% of the subjects had functional symptoms of voice problems. 43% of the subjects had some physical symptoms while 28% had affected emotional component. Present study is first of its kind to focus on voice disorders among school going children who are members of a basket ball team. During sport events players tend to scream in order to communicate among their team mates, to show their aggressiveness to their opponents and to show excitement of win or frustration of the lost match leading to various voice problems. There is a high probability of occurrence of voice disorders among children who are active participants of basket ball. Proper counselling of these children is required for preventive measures and to seek voice therapy when required. © Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2018.