Frequency measurement of vowel formants produced by Brazilian children aged between 4 and 8 years

Vocal Characteristics of Children With Short Stature Before and After Growth Hormone Treatment

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the vocal characteristics of children with short stature before and 12 months after growth hormone treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This analytical, observational cohort study included 23 children (age 5-11 years) diagnosed with short stature. Children in the short stature group (SSG) were matched (1:1) for age and sex with children with normal growth (normal stature group; NSG). Participants in the SSG underwent assessments before and 12 months after growth hormone treatment, while those in the NSG underwent the same assessments at baseline and 12 months. The assessments included evaluation of (A) vocal characteristics (history, vocal self-assessment, auditory-perceptual evaluation, and acoustic analysis), (B) anthropometry, (C) bone age, and (D) measurement of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels.

RESULTS

Children in the SSG had more vocal complaints (P = 0.026) than those in the NSG. The groups were similar in terms of vocal self-assessment and auditory-perceptual evaluation (P = nonsignificant). Results of acoustic analysis were also similar for fundamental frequency (F 0) and perturbation measures (P for both = nonsignificant). F 0 and speech frequency decreased significantly at 12 months in both groups. F1 values were higher at 12 months in the NSG, while F2 values were significantly higher in the baseline evaluation in boys in the SSG. Children in the SSG compared with those in the NSG presented a greater increase in height measurements at 12 months, although the anthropometric means were lower in both evaluations (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Vocal characteristics in children with short stature before and after treatment with growth hormone are comparable to those in children with normal growth.

Acoustic Measurements of Speech and Voice in Men with Angle Class II, Division 1, Malocclusion

Introduction  The acoustic analysis of speech (measurements of the fundamental frequency and formant frequencies) of different vowels produced by speakers with the Angle class II, division 1, malocclusion can provide information about the relationship between articulatory and phonatory mechanisms in this type of maxillomandibular disproportion. Objectives  To investigate acoustic measurements related to the fundamental frequency (F0) and formant frequencies (F1 and F2) of the oral vowels of Brazilian Portuguese (BP) produced by male speakers with Angle class II, division 1, malocclusion (study group) and compare with men with Angle class I malocclusion (control group). Methods  In total, 60 men (20 with class II, 40 with class I) aged between 18 and 40 years were included in the study. Measurements of F0, F1 and F2 of the seven oral vowels of BP were estimated from the audio samples containing repetitions of carrier sentences. The statistical analysis was performed using the Student t -test and the effect size was calculated. Results  Significant differences ( p -values) were detected for F0 values in five vowels ([e], [i], [ᴐ], [o] and [u]), and for F1 in vowels [a] and [ᴐ], with high levels for class II, division 1. Conclusion  Statistical differences were found in the F0 measurements with higher values in five of the seven vowels analysed in subjects with Angle class II, division 1. The formant frequencies showed differences only in F1 in two vowels with higher values in the study group. The data suggest that data on voice and speech production must be included in the protocol's assessment of patients with malocclusion.

Acoustic Analysis of Voice and Speech in Men with Skeletal Class III Malocclusion: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the fundamental (f0) and first third formant (F1, F2, F3) frequencies of the 7 oral vowels of Brazilian Portuguese in men with skeletal class III malocclusion and to compare these measures with a control group of individuals with Angle's class I.

METHODS

Sixty men aged 18-40 years, 20 with Angle's class III skeletal malocclusion and 40 with Angle's class I malocclusion were selected by speech therapists and dentists. The speech signals were obtained from sustained vowels, and the values of f0 and frequencies of F1, F2 and F3 were estimated. The differences were verified through Student's t test, and the effect size calculation was performed.

RESULTS

In the class III group, more acute f0 values were observed in all vowels, higher values of F1 in the vowels [a] and [ε] and in F2 in the vowels [a], [e] and [i] and lower F1 and F3 values of the vowel [u].

CONCLUSION

More acute f0 values were found in all vowels investigated in the class III group, which showed a higher laryngeal position in the production of these sounds. The frequencies of the first 3 formants showed punctual differences, with higher values of F1 in the vowels [a] and [ε] and of F2 in [a], [e] and [i], and lower values of F1 and F3 in the vowel [u] in the experimental group. Thus, it is concluded that the fundamental frequency of the voice was the main parameter that differentiated the studied group from the control.

Characteristics of the Voice of Dysphonic School Children from 4:0 to 7:11 Years Old

BACKGROUND

Childhood dysphonia is frequent and has many origins, with the most common initial symptom being the altered vocal quality.

OBJECTIVE

Describe and correlate the auditory-perceptual and acoustic characteristics of the voice, and the maximum phonation time (MPT), of dysphonic schoolchildren from private and public schools from 4:0 to 7:11 years old, female and male.

METHODS

MPT, acoustic (Multi-Dimensional Voice Program Advanced and Real Time Spectrogram), and auditory-perceptual (Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice) evaluations of 115 schoolchildren were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Auditory-perceptual parameters values were classified as mild, and MPT values were reduced, in most children. Fundamental frequency and Jitt values decreased significantly with age; MPT/i/ increased significantly with age. Relative average perturbation, voice turbulence index (VTI), and number of sub-harmonic segments values were significantly higher in 4:0 years old children. The number of unvoiced segments was higher in 6:0 years old children. Shimmer percent was higher in 7:0 years old children. There were negative correlations between the high frequency spectrographic tracing color intensity and the vocal strain; the VTI and the MPT; the degree of unvoiced segments and the MPT. There was a positive correlation between the smoothed pitch period perturbation quotient and the roughness.

CONCLUSION

In dysphonic schoolchildren, auditory-perceptual parameters were moderate, MPT was reduced, several acoustic parameters were altered, and these vocal characteristics improved with age.

Vocal characteristics of 5-year-old children: proposed normative values based on a French-speaking population†

Purpose: Previous research proposed normative data on gender- and age-specific voice acoustics for adults. Such reference values are lacking for children, particularly under the age of 6. This study was intended (1) to collect reliable normative data for the acoustic parameters of 5-year-old children's voices, and (2) to investigate potential gender-specific differences.Study: Prospective and cross-sectional.Methods: Acoustic analyses were done on the voices of 53 normophonic children (26 girls; 27 boys) aged 5;0-5;11 years, using Praat software. The fundamental frequency, local jitter, local shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR) were measured on the sustained vowels [a], [i], and [u]. The highest frequency, lowest frequency, and frequency range were measured using ascending and descending glissandi on the vowel [a].Results: For the three sustained vowels, the mean fundamental frequency ranged from 255 Hz to 277 Hz, mean jitter ranged from 0.394% to 0.591%, mean shimmer ranged from 2.571% to 5.824%, and mean NHR ranged from 0.009 to 0.034. The frequency range was from 190 Hz to 750 Hz, which corresponds to 23.7 semitones. No gender difference was found, except for NHR on the vowel [a].Conclusions: The lack of gender differences - other than for NHR on the vowel [a] - led us to propose mixed norms for 5-year-old boys and girls combined.Implications: These normative data will allow clinicians to compare children's voice assessments to specific references in order to enhance diagnostic accuracy and measure therapy outcomes.

Comparison of fundamental frequency and formants frequency measurements in two speech tasks

ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the measurements of fundamental frequency (F0) and frequency of the first two formants (F1 and F2) of the seven oral vowels of the Brazilian Portuguese in two speech tasks, in adults without voice and speech disorders. Methods: eighty participants in the age range 18 and 40 years, paired by gender, were selected after orofacial, orthodontic and auditory-perceptual assessments of voice and speech. The speech signals were obtained from carrier phrases and sustained vowels and the values of the F0 and frequencies of F1 and F2 were estimated. The differences were verified through the t Test, and the effect size was calculated. Results: differences were found in the F0 measurements between the two speech tasks, in two vowels in males, and in five vowels, in females. In the F1 frequencies, differences were noted in six vowels, in men, and in two, in women. In the F2 frequencies, there was a difference in four vowels, in men, and three, in women. Conclusion: based on the differences found, it is concluded that the speech task for evaluation of fundamental frequency and formants’ frequencies, in the Brazilian Portuguese, can show distinct results in both glottal and supraglottal measures in the production of different oral vowels of this language. Thus, it is suggested that clinicians and researchers consider both forms of emission for a more accurate interpretation of the implications of these data in the evaluation of oral communication and therapeutic conducts.

Effect of Rapid Maxillary Expansion on Voice

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effect of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on the fundamental frequency (F0) and formant frequencies F1-F4.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 14 consecutive patients between the ages of 9.6 years and 15 years with a constricted maxilla undergoing RME were included in this study. Measurements were made before (T1) and after treatment (T2). These included maxillary arch length, depth, width, and perimeter in addition to F0, habitual pitch, and formants F1, F2, F3, and F4 for the vowels /ɑ/, /i/, /o/, and /u/.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the mean of F1/ɑ/ and F2/ɑ/ before and after treatment (P value of 0.04 and 0.013, respectively). It is worth noting that F1/ɑ/ decreased in 11 and F2/ɑ/ decreased in 10 of the 14 subjects.

CONCLUSION

The application of RME in the treatment of maxillary constriction leads to a significant lowering of the first and second formants for the vowel /ɑ/ in most subjects. Subjects undergoing rapid maxillary application should be aware of the potential change in voice quality especially in case of professional voice users.