Vocal characteristics during child development: perceptual-auditory and acoustic data.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze perceptual-auditory and acoustic characteristics of children's voices of different age ranges. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-three 3- to 10-year-old children grouped from 3 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 to 10 years served as participants. The severity of vocal deviation and the parameters of roughness, breathiness, strain, and instability were assessed using a visual analog scale. We calculated the mean and standard deviation of fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, and glottal-to-noise excitation ratio for the sustained vowel, and the mean of F0 variability for connected speech. RESULTS: The most affected voices were in the age range 8-10 years, and only the phonation tension level was reduced as a result of aging. There were significant differences between children aged 3-5 years and the other age ranges for F0 mean for sustained vowels and F0 variability. CONCLUSION: Children aged 8-10 years had the highest severity of vocal deviation. There was a significant reduction of phonation tension and measure of F0, jitter, and shimmer after the age of 5 years.

Severity of voice disorders: integration of perceptual and acoustic data in dysphonic patients.

PURPOSE: To analyze the correlation between acoustic measures and intensity of vocal deviation, and its discriminatory power in detecting the presence of vocal change, classifying the severity of the deviation and differencing the type of predominant voice. METHODS: The sample comprised 186 patients with dysphonia. The vocal deviation from the vowel/ε/was evaluated by consensus between three speech language pathologists, using a Visual Analog Scale. We extracted the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, and Glottal-to-Noise Excitation Ratio (GNE). RESULTS: Mean F0 was negatively correlated with the degree of roughness and positively with the degree of tension. The F0 SD was positively correlated with the overall, roughness, tension, and instability grades. The jitter and shimmer were positively correlated with all perceptual parameters. Only the GNE distinguished between healthy and dysphonic voices and rated the degree of breathiness. The shimmer separated rough voices from not rough voices. The mean F0 was helpful to determine the degree of phonatory tension and to separate rough voices from breathy and strained voices. CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between the acoustic and auditory perceptual measures. The shimmer, the GNE, and F0 SD can be used to detect roughness, breathing, and strain, respectively. The GNE and mean F0 are useful to classify the degree of breathiness and strain, respectively. The mean F0 distinguished between rough, breathy, and strained voices, with rough voices more severe compared to the other two.

Severity of voice disorders in children: correlations between perceptual and acoustic data.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to verify whether there is correlation between perceptual and acoustic data and to verify which measures are useful to identify the severity of voice deviation in children. METHODS: The participants were 71 children aged 3-9 years. The severity of voice deviation, roughness, breathiness, strain, and instability was evaluated by three speech therapists, experts on perceptual voice evaluation. A visual analog scale was used; speech material consisted of a sustained vowel sound /ε/ and the counting of numbers from one to 10. The means and standard deviations of fundamental frequency (F(0)), jitter, shimmer, and glottal-to-noise excitation (GNE) ratio were extracted from the sustained vowel, and the mean and variability of F(0) were extracted from automatic speech (counting). Perceptual and acoustic data were correlated. RESULTS: Most children had mild voice deviation, with strain, instability, and breathiness as predominant voice qualities. F(0) measures correlate with strain to phonate. Shimmer and GNE correlate with general degree of voice deviation and with the roughness, breathiness, and instability parameters. GNE and F(0) mean in connected speech were the only measures that distinguished voices regarding severity of voice deviation. CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between perceptual and acoustic measures from these children's voices. Children with high-pitched voices had higher voice deviations. GNE is a measure that reliably distinguishes the severity of voice deviation and may be useful in the screening and evaluation of children's voices.

Severity of voice disorders: integration of perceptual and acoustic data in dysphonic patients / Intensidade do desvio vocal: integração de dados perceptivo-auditivos e acústicos em pacientes disfônicos

Purpose: To analyze the correlation between acoustic measures and intensity of vocal deviation, and its discriminatory power in detecting the presence of vocal change, classifying the severity of the deviation and differencing the type of predominant voice. Methods: The sample comprised 186 patients with dysphonia. The vocal deviation from the vowel/ε/was evaluated by consensus between three speech language pathologists, using a Visual Analog Scale. We extracted the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, and Glottal-to-Noise Excitation Ratio (GNE). Results: Mean F0 was negatively correlated with the degree of roughness and positively with the degree of tension. The F0 SD was positively correlated with the overall, roughness, tension, and instability grades. The jitter and shimmer were positively correlated with all perceptual parameters. Only the GNE distinguished between healthy and dysphonic voices and rated the degree of breathiness. The shimmer separated rough voices from not rough voices. The mean F0 was helpful to determine the degree of phonatory tension and to separate rough voices from breathy and strained voices. Conclusion: There is a correlation between the acoustic and auditory perceptual measures. The shimmer, the GNE, and F0 SD can be used to detect roughness, breathing, and strain, respectively. The GNE and mean F0 are useful to classify the degree of breathiness and strain, respectively. The mean F0 distinguished between rough, breathy, and strained voices, with rough voices more severe compared to the other two.

Objetivo: Analisar a correlação entre medidas acústicas e a intensidade do desvio vocal e seu poder discriminatório na detecção da presença de alteração vocal, na classificação da intensidade do desvio e na diferenciação do tipo de voz predominante. Métodos: Participaram 186 pacientes disfônicos. O desvio vocal foi avaliado por consenso por três fonoaudiólogos, a partir da emissão da vogal /ε/, utilizando-se uma escala analógico-visual. Foram extraídas a média e desvio padrão (DP) da frequência fundamental (F0), jitter, shimmer e Glottal to Noise Excitation Ratio (GNE). Resultados: A média de F0 correlacionou-se negativamente com o grau de rugosidade e positivamente com o grau de tensão. O DP de F0 correlacionou-se positivamente com o grau geral, de rugosidade, de tensão e de instabilidade. Houve correlação positiva entre o jitter e shimmer e todos os parâmetros perceptivos. Apenas o GNE diferenciou vozes saudáveis de vozes desviadas e classificou o grau de soprosidade. O shimmer separou vozes rugosas de vozes não rugosas. A média de F0 foi útil para determinar o grau de tensão fonatória e diferenciou vozes rugosas das soprosas e tensas. Conclusão: Há correlação entre as medidas acústicas e perceptivo-auditivas. O shimmer, o GNE e o DP de F0 podem ser utilizados na detecção de rugosidade, soprosidade e tensão, respectivamente. O GNE e a média de F0 são úteis para classificar o grau de soprosidade e tensão, respectivamente. A média de F0 diferenciou vozes rugosas, soprosas e tensas, sendo as vozes rugosas mais graves em relação às outras duas.