2
4
5
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Speech disorders
Definition:
A group of disorders that result in impaired or ineffective communication. Also see speech impairment.

Alternative Names:
Articulation deficiency; Voice disorders; Dysfluency

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Speech is one of the primary ways we communicate with our environment. It is also an effective way to monitor normal growth and development as well as identify potential problems.

Dysfluencies are rhythm disorders that are usually characterized by the repetition of a sound, word, or phrase. Stuttering is, perhaps, the most serious dysfluency.

Articulation deficiencies are sound that are made incorrectly or inappropriately.

Voice disorders involve differences in the quality, pitch, and loudness of the sound.

There are many potential causes of speech impairment:Delayed speech development is one of the common symptoms of developmentally delayed children. It occurs from 5 to 10% of all children. Males are three to four times as likely to experience speech disorders as females.
Symptoms:
Dysfluency:
  • repetition of sounds, words, or phrases after age 4
  • frustration with attempts to communicate
  • head jerking while talking
  • eye blinking while talking
  • embarrassment with speech
Articulation Deficiency:
  • unintelligible speech by age 3
  • the leaving out of consonants at the beginning of words by age 3
  • the leaving out of consonants at the end of words by age 4
  • persistent problems with articulation after age 7
  • the leaving out of sounds where they should occur
  • the distortion of sounds
  • substituting an incorrect sound for a correct one
Voice disorders:
  • pitch deviations
  • deviations in the loudness of the voice
  • quality deviations
Signs and tests:
  • Denver Articulation Screening Examination
  • Early Language Milestone Scale
  • Denver II
  • Peabody Picture Test Revised
Treatment:
The best treatment is prevention and early intervention by a speech pathologist. Speech training is an involved and time consuming endeavor that can have profound results with consistent treatment.
Expectations (prognosis):
The prognosis depends on the etiology of the disorder, usually, speech can be improved with speech therapy. Prognosis improves with early intervention.
Complications:
  • psycho-social problems associated with ineffective communication
Calling your health care provider:
Call your health care provider if your child's speech is not reaching the standard landmarks, if you suspect your child is in a high risk group, or your child is showing other signs of a speech disorder.
Prevention:
Since mental retardation and hearing loss are predisposing factors for speech disorders, at risk infants should be referred to an audiologist for an audiology exam. Audiological and speech therapy can then be initiated if necessary.

Stuttering can best be prevented by parents withholding undue attention to dysfluency in their young child. As young children begin to speak some dysfluency is common. They lack a large vocabulary and have difficulty expressing themselves resulting in broken or dysfluent speech. If parents place excessive attention on the dysfluency a pattern may develop.
Review Date: 11/9/2001
Reviewed By: Ashutosh Kacker, M.D., Department of Otolaryngology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com