The Effect of Hearing Loss on the Vocal Features of Children

Abstract

Background: It is difficult to determine the effect of hearing loss pathologic factors on the vocal features rather than other parts of speech, due to the complication of nature of voice, its vast range of changes, and lack of necessary standards and criteria. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of hearing loss on acoustic properties of voice through acoustic analysis of some vocal parameters in two groups of children with moderately severe or deep hearing loss, and normal children of the same age and gender. Patients and Methods: The current study was a comparative cross-sectional descriptive analysis of primary school students with severe to deep hearing loss disorder (n = 17) and normal students (n = 17) of the same age and gender. Data were collected using Speech Studio software and Laryngograph apparatus. To compare parameters between the two groups T-test (P < 0.05) was performed. Results: The mean of fundamental frequency for the hearing loss children and the control group were 323.04 Hz and 267.53 Hz, jitter 10.05% and 1.52%, shimmer 17.24 and 5.07, silence duration 29.40% and 17.02%, friction duration 17.55% and 34.52% and vocalization duration 14.71% and 28.65%, and vocal cords contact quality index 39.93% and 47.77%, respectively. Conclusions: Significant difference in the fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, silence duration, friction duration, vocalization duration, and vocal cords contact quality index between the two groups was observed (P < 0.01).