2013
Helping youngsters find their voice
Scotland’s only specialist voice clinic for young people has helped more than 200 children with
voice problems since it started in 2009. Based in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and in
partnership with the University of Strathclyde, it is one of only four paediatric clinics in the UK to
be registered with the British Voice Association
Youngsters from all over Scotland are referred to the monthly clinic because of hoarseness and
voice problems and staff can see children of any age - from a baby to a teenager.
In a major step forward the clinic is now able to diagnose without the need for general anaesthetic
or sedation. This has been achieved through the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment funded by
NSD Scotland and Yorkhill Children’s Foundation.
Mr David Wynne, Consultant Paediatric Otorhinolaryngologist, who runs the clinics said: “We now
have state-of-the-art equipment which helps us make a faster diagnosis while also being better for
our patients. We are now able to use a very small tube called an endoscope which has a small
camera at the end. The scope is gently guided into the child’s nose and through to where we can
see the voice box.
“We can see straight away any problems from the images which are instantly displayed on a
screen. These can range from a strained voice box caused by the child shouting and screaming
too much to more serious problems such as warts on the voice box or damaged vocal cords.”
Mr Wynne works alongside speech and language therapists Dr Wendy Cohen and Mrs Elizabeth
Lawson who help teach children how to use their voices correctly.
Dr Cohen who also works for Strathclyde University’s School of Psychological Sciences and
Health, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, commented: “It sounds trivial but when a child
is overusing their voice and it becomes strained they can actually damage their voice box. If they
continue to strain their voice box their voice can start to sound hoarse all the time. Hoarseness
can affect their confidence as they grow up and certainly we have seen older children who prefer
not to speak very much because of their voice.”
Speech and language therapy can make a world of difference to some children. Elizabeth said:
“Speech and language therapists work with these youngsters to teach them how to use their voice
correctly. In most cases if the child avoids irritating their voice box any further then in time their
voice will return to normal. It’s fantastically rewarding to hear the difference in a child’s voice from
when they first come to the clinic then once their treatment is complete, and to see just how much
of a difference it makes to them.”
However some problems can be more serious and can require surgery. Mr Wynne explained: “If
the problem is related to warts or because the child has had surgery in the past then I can see
straight away what needs to be done. Having seen the voice box first-hand through our
videoendoscopy then I know exactly how to treat it when the child is in surgery.”
Three patients who have benefitted from attending the Clinic are Daniel Rachelle and Zoe.
Daniel Stoddart (12) from Law Village in Wishaw was born with a narrow windpipe and needed
extensive surgery at the time. Because of this surgery he developed a weak voice. Daniel has
been attending the Clinic for both reconstructive surgery and for speech and language support
since it started in 2009.
Daniel’s mum Jacqueline said: “Daniel’s voice was quite gruff and very quiet, you would struggle
to hear him when he spoke. Since going to the clinic his voice has gotten so much better. He
receives injections which help with his voice and the effects tend to last about six months.
“Although Daniel doesn’t really enjoy going to the hospital for his treatments we worked with the
staff at the hospital and discovered that it makes Daniel’s recovery a bit easier to have a portable
DVD at the end of his bed to take his mind off the discomfort.”
Rachelle Davies (13) from Eaglesham was diagnosed with vocal cord nodules, which is the most
common condition the clinic treats.
She developed hoarseness after a chest infection in early 2012. She lost her voice at the time of
the infection and when it returned she found her voice was very hoarse. Rachelle is a keen singer
so was worried about the changes in her voice.
Happily Rachelle was diagnosed in the clinic using the scopes and was treated with speech
therapy which has worked and Rachelle is now back to her melodic-self.
The clinic has also helped Zoe Little (14) from Clydebank, West Dumbartonshire. Zoe was born
with sipna bifida and hydrocephalus and needed several operations and a tracheotomy. Zoe’s
windpipe suffered damage and the nerves supplying the voice box were injured which caused her
to have a husky quiet voice. Mr Wynne treated Zoe by injecting her voice box and the difference
was so great even staff at Zoe’s school noticed the difference.
Thanks to the improvements so far Zoe is now considering a more permanent operation to help
her voice and has aspirations to become a singer and appear on X-factor in the future.
ENDS
For further information, contact the press office, tel: 0141 201 4429 or email:
press.office@ggc.scot.nhs.uk