Computer analyses of acoustical parameters in hypopituitary children before and after growth hormone treatment

The effect of growth hormone treatment on voice quality, glottal frequency and articulatory pause was studied by computer analyses in 13 growth hormone-deficient children and age-matched controls. Each of the acoustical parameters when evaluated prior to the administration of growth hormone showed a deviation from the control subjects. Following treatment, improvement was noted in each of the parameters studied. It is concluded that growth hormone-deficient children have acoustical parameters which vary from age-matched controls, and that growth hormone plays a definite role in maturation of the phonatory apparatus.