Doctor Column

What’s the Problem with RFK Jr.’s Voice? “Spasmodic Dysphonia” August 15, 2024 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD I think it’s “problematical for people to listen to me. I cannot listen to myself on TV. ... I feel sorry for you guys having to listen to me,” said the presidential 2024 candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in his raspy voice in News Nation’s Town Hall meeting in Chicago on June 28, 2023. He acknowledged the challenge people have paying attention to a person’s halting, choking speech, struggling to finish a sentence. Kennedy said his raspy voice was due to “Spasmodic Dysphonia.” Untangling the Mysteries of the Aging Voice July 25, 2024 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD One of the things we take for granted is a good voice, one that is strong, easily understood and of good quality. We have a problem when a voice disorder interferes with our ability to communicate with family and friends, or to earn a living. How Puberty Changes Your Child’s Voice March 15, 2024 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Puberty is the time of life when boys and girls transition from childhood into adulthood. During this period of development, their bodies go through physical, hormonal and psychological changes. It happens typically for boys between 9 to 14 years of age and for girls between 8 to 13 years of age. What’s Wrong with Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Voice? August 15, 2020 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD What’s causing Dr. Antony Fauci’s voice problem? In early April of this year, the respected infectious disease expert and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease was queried by Savanah Guthrie during a TV “Today” interview. She asked, “Are you OK? Your voice doesn’t sound great.” Abnormal Voices — “What do they mean?” May 6, 2016 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Your voice is not healthy if it doesn’t sound right to you or others. The way the voice sounds is a clue, a symptom to an underlying problem which can be due to many causes; including vocal misuse, smoking, infection, cancer or neurologic (nerve) problems. Hoarseness what’s causing my voice problem? April 24, 2016 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD We all want a pleasant voice. Hoarseness is an abnormal, unpleasant change in the quality of the voice. It‘s a symptom, not a disease. It can affect the clarity, loudness and/or vocal effort of the individual. It’s a signal of an underlying problem that makes it more difficult to communicate with others. It’s never normal. THE HUMAN VOICE — WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS March 27, 2016 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD One of the things we take for granted is a good voice, one that is strong, easily understood and of good quality. We have a problem when a voice disorder interferes with our ability to communicate personally, with family or friends - or professionally, to earn a living. “VOICEPRINTS” — YOUR UNIQUE VOICE March 7, 2016 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD In a few seconds, with remarkable confidence, one can tell the sex of a person speaking on the telephone or radio. We can recognize almost immediately the voice of our favorite artist who is singing our favorite song. And in the middle of the night, a mother can tell which child is crying. What’s going on?