Hoarseness in Children

Specialists at NYU Langone’s Voice Center offer innovative solutions for children and adolescents who speak with a hoarse or raspy voice. Chronic hoarseness occurs when the vocal cords, also known as vocal folds, don’t open and close or vibrate properly, preventing air from moving across the cords to make a clear sound. This may result from a noncancerous lesion, scarring, or other medical condition.

Our team of voice specialists includes laryngologists, who diagnose and treat conditions that affect the larynx, or voice box. It also includes speech pathologists, who offer vocal therapy exercises, and nurse practitioners, who are experienced in working with children who have vocal conditions. These specialists identify the underlying cause of your child’s hoarseness and work together to determine treatment. Care for children at the Voice Center is provided through Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone.

Our doctors can manage other medical conditions that may be related to your child’s hoarseness, such as allergies, sleep apnea, respiratory infections, or neuromuscular conditions, such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.