Voice Breaking in Boys is Normal
Do you remember when your voice got deeper? Did you know that everyone experiences a voice change during puberty but most boys are more noticeable? Have you ever wondered why do voices crack? Or how does your voice change?
I remember teaching 12 year old boys and some very interesting sounds popped out of their mouths when they started going through puberty. My son calls it teste pops. Voices breaking are a response to testosterone from the testes. (Hence the use of the word ‘teste’ and ‘pop’.) What’s important is that for boys, voice breaking is normal.
Signs of Boy’s Voice Change
Before everyone reaches puberty, their larynx (voice box) is small and vocal cords are thin and short. As they go through puberty, the larynx grows and the vocal cords lengthen and thicken. Most girls’ voice boxes do not grow as big so their voices are not as deep as most boys. Facial bones begin to grow, making more space in the face. For most boys this means that there are larger cavities in the sinuses, nose and back of the throat and therefore that gives the voice more room to resonate, and this deepens it further. This sudden change in size, shape, and thickness can cause the muscles to suddenly tighten or lose control, resulting in a crack or squeak and that’s called ‘voice breaking’. Very often, boys experience a deepening of the voice as well. It can be gradual or sudden, but usually doesn’t last very long.
Many Boys Experience a Voice Change During Puberty
Most boy’s voices will start to break usually after his testicles and penis have gone through a growth spurt. While this change takes place, the voice box tilts to a different angle in the neck. It can start to stick out as a prominent ‘Adam’s Apple’. The name of this goes back to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Adam ate a piece of forbidden fruit from the apple tree, and a part of it got stuck in his throat. This is where the name “Adam’s apple” comes from. An Adam’s apple has nothing to do with the food, nor does it indicate anything religious. It only has to do with the larynx, and it primarily occurs in most males.
Just remember, that it is completely normal that a boy’s voice changes. So when your son starts to sound like he is yodelling, get ready for the teste pops, you will know that puberty is well and truly happening!
Click here for some great websites about puberty
https://www.amazingme.com.au/category/puberty-periods/
Click here for some great books about puberty
https://www.amazingme.com.au/books-puberty
