Evaluation of Pediatric Voice Handicap Index in Children With Allergic Rhinitis.

Objective: The study sought to determine impact of voice disability on children with allergic rhinitis (AR). The Turkish version of the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index (pVHI) was used to assess the impact of voice disability on functional, physical, and emotional aspects of voice and oral communication. The degree of talkativeness was also determined.

Methods: One hundred twenty-three children with AR aged 6-17 years and age-matched 84 children of controls without present or past record of voice disorder were admitted in the cross-sectional study. The pVHI was carried out by an otolaryngologist.

Results: Children with AR show higher scores on pVHI compared to healthy children, indicating a greater chance of voice disorders observed in them (P < 0.001). The scores of three domains and total score of pVHI were prevalent in children with AR. In addition, as the severity of AR increased, high scores of pVHI were observed (P = 0.044). The mean talkativeness scores in AR group were lower than those of the healthy controls (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: In children with AR, voice disorders are more frequently observed and correlate positively with AR severity.