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Photograph of a male doctor talking to a boy in an exam room

Also called: Communication disorders

Many disorders can affect our ability to speak and communicate. They range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. Causes include

Some speech and communication problems may be genetic. Often, no one knows the causes. By first grade, about 5 percent of children have noticeable speech disorders. Speech and language therapy can help.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

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