What Happened to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Voice? All About the Condition That Causes His Raspy Tone

justjared.com:

If you have been watching Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s confirmation hearing, you might be wondering what is wrong with his voice.

The 71-year-old politician is President Trump‘s selection to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services and he was grilled by lawmakers during a hearing on Wednesday (January 29) in Washington, D.C. RFK Jr.‘s raspy voice features a tremble or quiver, which he has had for decades due to a condition. Keep reading to find out more… Kennedy was diagnosed with the rare neurological condition spasmodic dysphonia many years ago. “I have a tremble in my voice … particularly when I first start talking,” he previously said in 2004 during an appearance on The Diane Rehm Show.

The organization Dysphonia International notes that the condition “is a chronic neurological voice disorder and a focal laryngeal dystonia.

It results in involuntary spasms of the muscles that open or close the vocal folds, causing a voice that presents with breaks and strained/strangled quality or breathy quality, depending on the type of spasmodic dysphonia (adductor or abductor).” It’s estimated that 500,000 people in the U.S.