Robert F. Kennedy Jr. started developing symptoms of the condition in 1996. Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological condition that causes certain muscles in the “voice box,” or larynx, to spasm, often making the voice sound raspy, strained or breathy.

What Is Wrong With Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Voice? Kennedy has a legitimate medical issue causing his voice to sound raspy, and hearing him talk about it is actually quite sad. SI

Spasmodic dysphonia is a rare neurological disorder that causes a strained voice. RFK Jr. says he has had the disorder for decades and treats it with Botox injections, a common treatment.

Spasmodic dysphonia is a rare neurological disorder that causes involuntary spasms in the vocal cords, making speech strained, breathy, or hoarse.

Kennedy's condition is called spasmodic dysphonia, which is a neurologic disorder that can affect the voice and speech by causing the muscles that generate a person’s voice to go into periods of spasm, according to Penn Medicine. It is a lifelong condition, but can be improved with treatment in some cases, according to Penn Medicine.

Spasmodic Dysphonia is a vocal disorder that involves sudden involuntary spasms affecting the vocal cords, causing them to stiffen and slam closed, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The most common form of the disease is known as adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia.