Voice Program

As the only pediatric multidisciplinary Voice Program of its kind in the Chicago area, Lurie Children's brings together deep expertise you won't find elsewhere. Our specialized team provides coordinated, condition-specific care designed around each child.

Common Symptoms

• Hoarse or rough voice
• Loss of voice
• Quiet or breathy voice
• Voice that is too high or too low in pitch
• Neck tension
• Reduced pitch range

Common Diagnoses

• Vocal fold nodules
• Muscle tension dysphonia
• Vocal fold cysts
• Vocal fold polyps
• Vocal fold paralysis
• Laryngeal papillomas (rare, non-cancerous growths)
• History of intubation during the newborn period
• Prior airway, neck, or chest surgeries
• Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)

Any child, at any age, with a change in voice quality or ongoing hoarseness should be evaluated by an ENT specialist. If you're concerned about your child's voice, start by talking with your pediatrician. They can help determine whether a referral to ENT is needed.

Our Pediatric Voice Clinic typically sees children 6 years and older who have had a voice concern for four weeks or longer. If your child is under 6 and you have a voice concern, our general ENT team can help.

Children seen in our Voice Clinic are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team experienced in managing complex voice disorders. The program’s team includes an otolaryngologist, voice program nurse, child life specialist and several speech- language pathologists. The program is led by Saied Ghadersohi, MD, Attending Physician, Otolaryngology and Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

During your visit, our team will:

• Meet with the child and family to complete a comprehensive assessment
• Obtain a detailed history of the voice concern and its impact on the child's quality of life
• Listen to and record the child's voice during speech and vocal exercises
• While your child is awake, examine the larynx and airway using laryngoscopy (a thin, flexible scope with a camera is inserted through the nose) to assess vocal cord structure and movement

These findings guide an individualized treatment plan.

Treatment is tailored to each child's diagnosis and severity, and often includes more than one approach working together.

Voice Therapy

Most children improve with voice therapy alone. Our speech-language pathologists teach children and families specific vocal exercises and habits to reduce strain on the vocal cords and support healthy voice use over time. Learn more about Lurie Children's Voice Therapy Program. 

Medical Management

Some voice conditions (such as reflux-related irritation or muscle tension dysphonia) respond well to medical treatment or targeted behavioral strategies, without the need for surgery.

Surgical Treatment

When surgery is the best option, most procedures can be performed endoscopically, through the mouth, without any skin incisions. Many of these procedures can be done in an outpatient setting, meaning your child can typically go home the same day.

Our team will walk you through the recommended approach for your child and answer any questions before moving forward with a treatment plan.

We have found that preparing your child for what to expect during this visit helps them have a sense of emotional safety, control and improves cooperation during the exam. Below is a link to our child-friendly preparation book that walks through each step of the visit. We recommend reading this book with your child and allowing opportunities for questions.

Our child life specialist will reach out to you before the appointment to review an individualized coping plan and answer any questions you or your child may have. For additional support, please reach out to childlifereferral@luriechildrens.org.

• Lurie Children's Voice Clinic Prep Book
• Voice Information – ASHA