Choral Singing and Vocal Health

The potential associations of being a choral singer with one ’s overall vocal health has been a subject of considerable research interest for the fully developed adult voice, but there is less known about the effects of choral singing on the developing larynx particularly for the prepubescent child. Although several studies have reported the positive associ ation of regular singing and individual voice training with vocal efficiency and health among children, whether this translates to a reduction in risk of voice disorders has also not been previously well investigated, to my knowledge. In contrast, other researchers suggest that child choristers expe rience more symptoms of voice problems than nonsingers or soloists, particularly if undertrained, because of factors associated with choral singing, such as increased vocal load, reduced auditory feedback, and possible competitive effects causing vocal strain or misuse. Whether these are only short- term or have cumulative negative consequences are not established. Furthermore, there is an overall need for an increased understanding of the potential physiologic and functional influence of sustained vocal load with children’s vocal fold development.
Source: JAMA Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Source Type: research