Duration of hoarseness in children
The duration of hoarseness in children depends on the underlying cause. If too much crying is the cause of the loss of voice, the symptoms usually disappear after a few days. Children can also suffer from hoarseness after a flu-like infection or a cold.
As soon as the infection has healed, the hoarseness usually disappears quickly. If your child’s hoarseness lasts longer than a week, a pediatrician should be consulted. He or she can determine if there is another cause for the loss of voice, such as voice nodules. These are benign changes in the vocal cords that can lead to hoarseness and problems speaking.
Can my child be hoarse without being sick?
Children can also be hoarse without being or having been sick. Especially through long crying or loud screaming the vocal folds can be overstrained. The vocal folds swell up and can no longer vibrate freely, and as a result the voice fails and the child is hoarse.
In such a case the child should spare the voice and if possible not speak, but also not whisper. Whispering puts even more strain on the vocal cords, which can delay the decongestants. Therefore the child should only speak in a normal voice if absolutely necessary.
Other causes of hoarseness are certain external influences, such as cigarette smoke, dry air or exhaust fumes, which can lead to an impairment of the voice. Usually the symptoms disappear on their own after a few days and the child can speak normally again. If the hoarseness persists for several weeks for no apparent reason, so-called voice nodules or cry nodules may be behind it.
Regular overuse of the voice causes small nodules to form on the vocal cords, which interfere with speaking and lead to persistent hoarseness. A pediatrician or ENT specialist can determine whether your child suffers from these benign cry nodules and prescribe appropriate treatment. Most of the time, the nodules disappear by themselves. However, voice therapy with a speech therapist can also be considered. Only in very rare cases do the nodules have to be removed surgically.
