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Published on: January 23, 2017
Maximum phonation time in pre-school children
Carla Aparecida Cielo1, Viviane Michele Cappellari
1Otorhino-Phonoaudiology Department, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS.
Insights
Maximum phonation time (MPT) in children aged 4-6 years showed significant increases with age. MPT values were higher than in other Brazilian studies, indicating neuromuscular maturation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Speech and Voice Science
- Child Development and Communication
Background:
- Maximum phonation time (MPT) studies in children yield varied results, potentially reflecting phonation control.
- MPT can serve as a qualitative and quantitative indicator in voice evaluations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess MPT and voice acoustic characteristics in 23 children aged 4 to 6 years and 8 months.
- To investigate the relationship between age and MPT in young children.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, cross-sectional study design was employed.
- Data collection involved parental questionnaires, auditory screening, and the R.A.S.A.T. scale for voice assessment.
- MPT was a primary data collection metric.
Main Results:
- The average MPT was 7.42s, 6.35s, and 7.19s across age groups.
- A significant positive correlation was observed between increasing age and MPT.
- The s/z ratio remained close to one for all participants.
Conclusions:
- Study findings align with existing medical literature on MPT.
- Observed MPT values were higher than those reported in previous Brazilian research.
- Children in the studied age range exhibit ongoing neuromuscular maturation, with less structural and neuromuscular control apparent at age four.
Unlabelled:
Past studies on the maximum phonation time (MPT) in children have shown different results in duration. This factor may reflect the neuromuscular and aerodynamic control of phonation in patients; such control might be used as an indicator of other evaluation methods on a qualitative and quantitative basis.
Aim:
To verify measures of MPT and voice acoustic characteristics in 23 children aged four to six year and eight months.
Method:
The sampling process comprised a questionnaire that was sent to parents, followed by auditory screening and a voice perceptive-auditory assessment based on the R.A.S.A.T. scale. Data collection included the MPT.
Study:
A prospective and cross-sectional study.
Results:
The MPT was 7.42s, 6.35s and 7.19s; as age increased, the MPT also increase significantly; the s/z relation at all ages was close to one.
Conclusions:
The results mostly agree with the medical literature.MPT values, however, were higher than in other Brazilian studies. It may be concluded that the ages that were analyzed are going through neuromuscular maturation; lack of structural maturity and neuromuscular control was more evident in children aged four years.
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