Question
A 9-year-old child suddenly developed a hoarse voice, without any pain or discomfort. After taking symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication and traditional Chinese medicine Huangshi Xiangsheng Wan, there has been no improvement, and this has persisted for twenty days. Please inquire about possible causes and solutions.
Answer
The child’s hoarseness may be caused by vocal cord edema, which is common in colds or overuse of the vocal cords. Treatment can include nebulizer inhalation to relieve edema. Additionally, it may be due to a thyroid tumor compressing the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which requires further detailed examination for diagnosis.