Speech disorder

A speech disorder or speech impairment is a long-lasting communication problem, caused by problems with speaking. People with speech impairments have problems making certain sounds, forming words, or combining these words into sentences. Common speech impairments are stuttering, lisps and rhotacism (inability or difficulty pronouncing the R sound). Someone who cannot speak at all is called mute.

Causes

Communication through speech stands as a primary conduit for interpersonal interaction, evolving organically alongside other markers of typical growth and development. However, disorders affecting speech and language often manifest in preschool-aged children.

Disfluencies represent disruptions in speech flow, characterized by the repetition of sounds, words, or phrases. Among these, stuttering emerges as a particularly concerning disfluency. Its etiology may stem from various factors including:

• Genetic anomalies
• Emotional stress
• Traumatic brain injury or infection
• Injuries or impairments affecting specific brain regions or nerves responsible for coordinating muscle movements essential for speech production, such as those occurring in cerebral palsy, can lead to speech difficulties.
• Additionally, conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), wherein stomach acid ascends into the esophagus, may exacerbate speech-related issues.
• Throat cancer presents another significant factor, impacting vocal function. Likewise, anomalies like cleft palate or other palate-related abnormalities can impede speech formation.
• Disorders that compromise the nerves supplying the vocal cord muscles, as well as structural anomalies like laryngeal webs or clefts, pose further challenges to speech articulation.
• Noncancerous growths such as polyps, nodules, cysts, granulomas, papillomas, or ulcers on the vocal cords can also hinder speech clarity. Furthermore, overuse or misuse of the vocal cords, through actions like excessive screaming, persistent throat clearing, or prolonged singing, can strain vocal function.
• Lastly, hearing loss can significantly impact speech production, as auditory feedback plays a crucial role in monitoring and refining speech sounds.