An evaluation of the effects of adenoidectomy on voice and speech function in children.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate the possible effects of adenoidectomy on voice and speech function.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Thirty-six children (20 boys, 16 girls; mean age 8.22±1.86 years) with adenoid hypertrophy and 50 healthy children (23 boys, 27 girls; mean age 8.54±1.92 years) were included in the study. Acoustic and spectrographic analyses, voice analysis and nasalance assessment were carried out preoperatively and at one week and three months postoperatively in children who underwent adenoidectomy operation and control group.

RESULTS

A significant change in voice nasalance and F3 and F4 formants was observed in children who underwent adenoidectomy. There was no significant change in F0, shimmer %, amplitude perturbation quotient (APQ), jitter %, relative average perturbation (RAP), noise to harmonic ratio (NHR), F1 and F2 formant values, as assessed by objective voice analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our study results show that adenoidectomy may affect voice resonance and nasalance, changing the shape and size of nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract. Adenoidectomy seems to be safe without any significant change in the voice quality.