Diagnosis and Treatment of Benign Pediatric Lesions

Abstract

Dysphonia is common in pediatrics and affects individuals from infancy through their teenage years. Pediatric dysphonia has a variable impact on children, ranging from no impact to a severe social barrier. Although most etiologies are benign, potentially life-threatening causes must be ruled out by direct examination of the larynx. The most common benign lesions of the larynx in pediatrics are vocal nodules, vocal fold polyps, cysts, granulomas, ectasias, sulcus vocalis, and vascular lesions, including hemangioma and postcricoid cushion. Treatment of benign vocal lesions should be tailored to the individual patient and the perceived impact.

Keywords: Dysphonia; Post-cricoid vascular cushion; Vocal fold cyst; Vocal fold granuloma; Vocal fold polyp; Vocal nodule.