Speech behavior that is sufficiently abnormal to attract attention, interfere with communication, or to interfere with the communication for either the speaker or the listener.
Difficulty in actually producing the sounds of the language, often from malfunction in the brain or inability to properly control the muscles needed to produce the sounds.
A group of disorders that result in ineffective or impaired communication due to difficulty speaking. The most common cause of speech problems in children is mental retardation. Other potential causes include attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, dental problems, hearing loss, learning disabilities, palate disorders, Tourette syndrome, and vocal cord injuries. Adults can also develop speech disorders as a result of stroke, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Parkinson disease, or multiple sclerosis.
These may be of physical or psychological origin or a combination of both. Difficulties may arise at various stages of development: due to problems during pregnancy; at birth, caused by childhood illnesses; or as a result of delayed development. Congenital defects such as cleft palate or lip may impair speech until surgery is performed, and recurrent ear infections may make hearing difficult so the child’s experience of speech is limited. Childhood dysphasia occurs if the language-development area of the brain develops abnormally.
Any abnormality that prevents a person from communicating through spoken words. The disorder may develop from brain injury, stroke, muscular paralysis of the organs of speech, structural defects of the mouth, teeth, or tongue, somatization disorders, or cognitive deficits.
Impairments or disruptions in speech that result in an inability to communicate with efficiency. Certain of these conditions are more precisely characterized as language disturbances rather than speech issues, as they stem from a compromised capacity to comprehend or generate words due to challenges in the brain’s language centers, rather than any deficiency in the mechanisms of speech articulation. The majority of individuals experiencing speech disorders can find assistance through the application of speech therapy.
Injury to the language centers of the brain (often caused by a stroke, head trauma, or brain tumor) results in dysphasia, which involves challenges with language skills. Both kids and adults can experience this condition. The capacity to speak, write, and/or understand written or spoken language is hindered to different degrees, contingent upon the location and severity of the impairment.
The delayed progression of language skills in a child is marked by a gradual pace in comprehending speech and/or a sluggish advancement in vocabulary and sentence construction. There are numerous factors contributing to delayed development, such as impaired hearing, limited exposure to language stimulation, or emotional challenges.
Articulation refers to the skill of producing speech sounds. A deficiency in articulation is at times termed dysarthria. Impairment of the nerves connecting the brain to muscles in the larynx (voicebox), mouth, or lips can lead to speech that is unclear, mumbled, slow, or nasal. The origins of this impairment are akin to those causing aphasia or dysphasia (including factors like stroke, head trauma, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease), albeit affecting distinct brain regions. Additionally, an anatomical irregularity of the mouth, such as a cleft lip and palate, can also contribute to challenges in articulation.
Voice production disorders encompass conditions like hoarseness, improper pitch or volume control, and unusual nasal quality. Often, the underlying issue stems from a disorder impacting the proper closure of the vocal cords (refer to larynx disorders). Voice pitch being excessively high or low, or volume being overly loud or faint, can result from hormonal imbalances, psychiatric factors, or hearing impairment.
Irregular nasal resonance arises from an excessive (hypernasality) or insufficient (hyponasality) flow of air through the nasal passages during speech. Hypernasality can emerge due to nerve damage affecting the palate (roof of the mouth) or due to a cleft palate condition, leading to a decline in speech clarity. Hyponasality, on the other hand, results from nasal airway obstruction, often caused by congestion or an excess of mucus.
Fluency-related disorders encompass conditions like stuttering, characterized by speech hesitations and the repetition of sounds. The root cause of these issues remains unclear.