Speech disorders occur when a patient (typically a child) has trouble producing certain sounds. They can be broken down into different categories depending on the nature of the problem. Speech disorders include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Articulation disorders.<\/strong> The patient has trouble with certain syllables or pronounces words incorrectly to such an extent that it is extremely difficult to understand what is being said. <\/li>
Fluency disorders.<\/strong> These are characterized by interruptions in the normal flow of speech. Stuttering \u2013 an abnormal repetition or prolonging of sounds, syllables or words \u2013 is the most common fluency disorder. <\/li>
Voice disorders.<\/strong> These involve problems with pitch, volume or voice quality. <\/li>
Dysphagia.<\/strong> Swallowing disorders can also cause trouble with speech.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Speech-language pathologists, commonly referred to as speech therapists, are able to evaluate a patient\u2019s speech, language, cognitive, communication and oral\/swallowing skills in order to diagnose speech problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Does Speech Therapy Work? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Treatment, or speech therapy, aims to resolve the issue by focusing on the area in which the patient needs help. Strategies include articulation therapy that focuses on proper pronunciationand physical exercises that demonstrate how the tongue is used to form certain words, as well as tongue, lip and jaw exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speech therapy is critical in preventing a number of problems from occurring. Left untreated, patients have a higher risk of developing hearing loss, weakened oral muscles, excess drooling, breathing problems and feeding or swallowing disorders. The younger the patient, the more successful speech therapy tends to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Central Auditory Processing Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, children exhibit classic signs of hearing loss: they do not hear well, or may only understand a portion of what is being said. They experience learning difficulties, particularly in environments with lots of background noise. When multiple people are talking, they lose focus and can\u2019t follow the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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