Acoustical and Perceptual Voice Profiling of Children With Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis

Abstract

Respiratory papillomatosis is a condition characterized by benign papillomatous (wart-like) growths in the respiratory tract. The condition tends to recur after treatment, requiring multiple procedures to control growth of the lesions. In such cases, the condition is known as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This study aims at providing comparative measures of acoustic as well as perceptual voice analysis of children with RRP. Ten children with a history of RRP for a minimum of 3years were selected under purposive sampling. A detailed case history, Clinical Assessment Scale of RRP, and laryngostroboscopy findings were done. This was followed by perceptual voice assessment using Buffalo III Voice Screening Profile, and acoustical voice assessment using Dr. Speech software (by Tiger DRS, Inc.). Group statistics and t test were used at a significance level of 0.05 (SPSS package Version 12.0 is used which is manufactured by IBM Corporation). Both groups with RRP showed substantial difference in habitual F0, S/Z ratio, Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Harmonic to Noise Ratio (HNR), and Maximum Phonation Time (MPT) voice parameters. On perceptual analysis, all children with RRP had hoarse voice quality, and stridors are present. All children with RRP have affected voice parameters in some extent which depend on the period and area of lesion.