Speech and Communication Disorders (Print Version)

Also called: 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

Hearing disorders and deafness
Voice problems, such as dysphonia or those caused by cleft lip or palate
Speech problems like stuttering
Developmental disabilities
Learning disorders
Autism
Brain injury
Stroke

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

Start Here

What Is Voice? What Is Speech? What Is Language?(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/whatis_vsl.htm

Overviews

Speech and Language Impairments(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs11txt.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/spanish/fs11stxt.htm
Speech-Language Disorders and the Speech-Language Pathologist(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/students/professions/overview/sld.htm

Latest News

Mom's Diabetes Tied to Kid's Language Deficits(11/03/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_71153.html

Rehabilitation/Recovery

Speech for People with Tracheostomies or Ventilators(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/tracheostomies.htm

Disease Management

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/AAC.htm

Specific Conditions

Aphasia vs. Apraxia(American Stroke Association) - http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030925
Apraxia of Speech(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/apraxia.asp
Developmental Dyspraxia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dyspraxia/dyspraxia.htm
Dysarthria(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/dysarthria.htm
Language-Based Learning Disabilities(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/LBLD.htm
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/OMD.htm
Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement (PVFM)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/PVFM.htm
Right Hemisphere Brain Damage(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/RightBrainDamage.htm
Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia)(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Ankyloglossia.cfm
Traumatic Brain Injury: Cognitive and Communication Disorders(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/tbrain.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/tbrain_span.asp

Related Issues

Autism and Communication(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/autism.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/autism_span.asp
Dial 711 for Telecommunication Services(Federal Communications Commission) - http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/711.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/spanish/711.html
Speech-to-Speech Relay Service(Federal Communications Commission) - http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/speechtospeech.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/spanish/speechtospeech.html
Telecommunications Relay Services(Federal Communications Commission) - http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html

Financial Issues

About Health Insurance(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/coverage/
Getting Your Employer to Cover Speech, Language and Hearing Services(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.asha.org/NR/rdonlyres/48585754-4A52-4B2C-BE2F-788235F3E109/0/ReimbursementForConsumerCoverage.pdf
Speech, Language, and Hearing Benefits: Making Sense of Your Health Insurance Plan(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.asha.org/NR/rdonlyres/03AE04A5-4AC3-41FB-993B-87654D2DB1C8/0/HealthInsBrochure.pdf

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Communication Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Communication+Disorders%22
ClinicalTrials.gov: Speech Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Speech+Disorders%22

Genetics

Genetics Home Reference: 47,XYY syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=47xyysyndrome
Genetics Home Reference: Triple X syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=triplexsyndrome

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: The case against routine electroencephalography in specific language impairment. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18794194&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Post-laryngectomy speech respiration patterns. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18771069&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Intervention for dysarthria associated with acquired brain injury in children... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18646143&tool=MedlinePlus
Speech and Communication Disorders -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(communication+disorders[majr]+NOT+(hearing+disorders[mh]+OR+learning+disorders[mh]+OR+aphasia[mh]))+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Childhood Apraxia of Speech Glossary(Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America) - http://www.apraxia-kids.org/site/c.chKMI0PIIsE/b.695215/k.D979/Glossary.htm
NIDCD Glossary(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/glossary/

Directories

Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders)(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory/
Find a Professional: Online Directory of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Programs(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/proserv/
Search for Assistive Technology: Voice and Speech Products(Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access) - http://assistivetech.net/search/FA_search2.php?function_id=4
Speech to Speech Services: Access Numbers in the United States(Federal Communications Commission) - http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/sts.html
Summer Camp Programs for Children and Adults with Communication Disorders(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/outreach/camps/

Organizations

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - http://www.asha.org/
Assistivetech.net(Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access) - http://www.assistivetech.net/
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/

Law and Policy

Employment Rights of People with Communication Disabilities(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/outreach/take-action/Employment+Rights.htm

Statistics

Incidence and Prevalence of Communication Disorders and Hearing Loss in Children(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/members/research/reports/children.htm
Incidence and Prevalence of Speech, Voice, and Language Disorders in Adults in the United States(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/members/research/reports/speech_voice_language.htm
Statistics on Voice, Speech, and Language(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/vsl.asp

Children

Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Parent-Stim-Activities.htm
Auditory Processing Disorder in Children(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/auditory.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/audidsrdr_span.asp
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Family Start Guide(Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America) - http://www.apraxia-kids.org/site/c.chKMI0PIIsE/b.839037/k.BE48/Family_Start_Guide/apps/nl/newsletter.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.apraxia-kids.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=chKMI0PIIsE&b=1031925&ct=1391817
Going to a Speech Therapist(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/people/speech_therapist.html
Selective Mutism(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/SelectiveMutism.htm
Social Language Use (Pragmatics)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/pragmatics.htm
Speech and Language Delay: What Does This Mean for My Child?(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/special/common/442.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/special/common/442.printerview.html
Speech and Language Disorders in the School Setting(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/schoolsFAQ.htm
Speech and Language: Developmental Milestones(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/speechandlanguage_span.asp
Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonological Processes(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/SpeechSoundDisorders.htm
Speech-Language Therapy(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/speech_therapy.html

Teenagers

Speech Problems(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/speech_disorders.html

Seniors

Eldercare at Home: Communication Problems(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/16.xml

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Aphasia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aphasia.html
Hearing Disorders and Deafness - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hearingdisordersanddeafness.html
Learning Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/learningdisorders.html
Stuttering - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stuttering.html
Voice Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/voicedisorders.html
Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
Mouth and Teeth - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthandteeth.html
Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Speech and Communication Disorders is the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/