Is Robert Kennedy Jr. Sick?

[sandrakae]

I just saw him on CNN. His voice was really weired. He was having trouble talking.

[Drunken Irishman]

1. His voice has always been weird.

[Marrah_G]

2. He has a disorder called spasmodic dysphonia

It affects his voicebox

[SharonRB]

5. Same thing Diane Rheems has

[MUAD_DIB]

12. Exactly. The first time I headr Ms Rheem I thought she was in her 80s...

although that is obviously not the case.

[Dennis Donovan]

6. I knew he had a disorder, but didn't know its name....

Thanks!

[Kitty Herder]

14. Thanks for that info. I've always wondered what was up with his voice.

Now I know.

[DFW]

3. Bobby had/has really bad asthma, and it has affected his voice

He has talked like that for many years. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse, but
he's OK otherwise, unless he has come down with something very recently.

[Taverner]

4. He has that same disorder Katherine Hepburn had

I forget the name

[saracat]

7. He has Adductor spacmodic dyphonia which is a nuerological condition.

He does not have asthma or Parkinsons Disease.He has to have shots of botox in his adductor muscles to talk. His shot is likely wearing off and he needs another.

[BlueCaliDem]

8. I didn't know that. Thanks once again, saracat. You're always a wonderful source for info. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. I have been told those shots are incredibly painful.

[Ilsa]

11. "spasmodic dysphonia"

Cause
Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurologic disorder that science does not yet know the cause or exactly how it works. There seems to be some emerging research that points to a problem in the feedback loop between the brain and the organ with the dystonia - in this case the voice box. Because of a problem with this feedback loop, there is over control with resultant spasms or overly tight muscle contractions. Some of the interesting research I have seen has been from PET scans showing a decrease in activation of the brain after treatment has decreased the effortfulness of using the muscles. Despite this lack of knowledge of the etiology, there is a good treatment for the symptoms of the disorder.

http://www.voicedoctor.net/therapy/dystonia.html

[bdamomma]

15. me either regarding the shot, you are a fountain of information saracat.

[Name removed]

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[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. Yes, he's gravely ill.

Measles, mumps, and rubella.