[Chronic hoarseness in children. Evaluation based on personal series of 64 cases]

Chronic hoarseness is frequent among children, as shown by 64 cases observed over an 18-month period in a specialized phoniatric outpatients clinic. Age at the first consultation for these 64 patients was 3-14 year although the hoarseness was already known for more than 1 year in 40 patients (62.5%). The main findings at laryngoscopy were an edematous vocal cord (33%), a unilateral or bilateral nodular lesion (26%), and an epidermoïd cyst (17%). The larynx was normal in 2 patients only. Orthophonic re-education was prescribed for 45 patients (70%); it was followed by laryngeal microsurgery in 3 patients: 9 patients were completely cured, 26 were improved, 4 showed no improvement, 16 could not be located for follow-up. Chronic hoarseness in children has numerous etiologies which can be divided into 5 main groups. The 2 more frequent are the hyperkinetic or hypokinetic laryngeal dysfunctions and the congenital lesions. The 3 other groups are much less frequent: juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis, recurrent palsy and pithiatic aphonia. Laryngoscopy is important for the diagnosis. Orthophonic re-education represents the main treatment; it completes the surgical treatment when microsurgery of the larynx is necessary.