Why Is My Child’s Voice Always Hoarse or Croaky? When Should Their Voice Be Checked? Your child comes home from school sounding croaky. Perhaps they spent luncht ime shouting across the playground. Perhaps they were at football practice. Or perhaps you have started to realise something different: “Their voice seems hoarse almost all the time.” Parents describe this in different ways. “My child sounds husky.” “Her voice is always raspy.” “He loses his voice after football.” “She sounds as though she constantly has a cold.” Most episodes of childhood hoarseness are temporary and not a sign of serious disease. But when a child’s voice repeatedly becomes hoarse, tires easily, or simply never seems to return to normal, it is reasonable to ask why. How does a child’s voice work? The larynx , commonly called the voice box, sits in the neck . Within it are two vocal folds. When your child breathes, the vocal folds remain open so air can pass towards the lungs. When your child talks...
Swallowing Problems in Adults: Exercises and Dysphagia Care in London & Essex “Why does food feel as though it is sticking in my throat?” and “Are there exercises I can do to improve my swallowing?” are common questions from adults experiencing swallowing difficulties. For patients across London, East London, Brentwood and Essex, the important first step is understanding why swallowing has changed . Exercises can be helpful for some forms of dysphagia, but the right exercise depends on which part of the swallowing mechanism is affected. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon , assesses adults with throat, voice and swallowing symptoms and works alongside speech and language therapy and other specialities where required. The NHS advises that dysphagia should be medically assessed because treatment depends on its cause and severity. What is dysphagia? Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. You might notice problems swallowing food, liquids, tablets or even s...