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Voice
- 1-5 Years
- 5-11 Years
- 11-19 Years
- Parents and Carers
- Speech, language and communication
Children can develop difficulties with voice production. They may not complain of a sore throat but their voice may sound hoarse, croaky or strained. Some children may start the day with little voice and others may find their voice deteriorates during the day.
How to help your child's voice
If your child is experiencing issues with their voice, there are lots of things your child can do to help their voice:
Avoid shouting, screaming, arguing and loud laughter. Your child will likely shout or raise their voice when they are playing with friends or siblings. This includes shouting up or downstairs to family members.
Avoid whispering. This can be as damaging for the voice as shouting. If your child's voice is just a whisper, try resting their voice.
Resting their voice. Try to find a balance for your child using the voice. For example, if they have been playing with friends they will have used their voice a lot. Try to sit them down and do a quiet calm activity like watching their favourite TV show or colouring.
Keeping them hydrated. Make sure your child is drinking the recommended amount of water. Try to avoid very hot or very cold drinks. You can also have a drink of water by their bed to sip on in the morning. Read more about how much water your child should be drinking.
Setting a good example. Try to set a good example as a family by taking turns to speak and not shouting when you speak.
Changes to your child's environment
The environment your child is in can also impact their voice. You can create a better environment for the voice by:
Keeping the house smoke-free. Smoke can irritate the voice.
Reducing the noise level at home. If the TV is always on or music is constantly playing, your child may be raising their voice to talk over the background noise. Try to limit the amount your child needs to raise their voice.
Adding moisture to the air. If a room is too hot, especially bedrooms, the air becomes very dry. You can have a bowl or saucer of water near the bed to moisten the air.
Last reviewed: 1 November, 2023
