Speech and Language Disorders

Speech and Language Disorders

Speech Disorders
Definition- Individuals with speech disorders encounter difficulties in oral language production, creating sounds, maintaining fluency and articulation of sounds. The ability to produce spoken language is reduced. Speech impairments are not to be confused with regular miss-production of sounds in regular developing children's speech.

Prevalence- Many children have difficulty with the production of speech but eventually catch up with their peers as they mature. Exact numbers on speech disorders are difficult to obtain because the criteria and definitions of speech disorders differ, as well as the fact that most children grow out of their speech impairments. However, we do know that speech disorders tend to be more prevalent in boys then in girls. 75% of speech disorders are articulation issues. 10%-15% of children in preschool have recognized speech disorders and only 6% of children have speech disorders by the time they reach elementary and secondary school grades. 

 Etiology- Speech disorders often stem from structural damage caused by hereditary development, injury, or disease, causing issues in the larynx, tongue, teeth, lips, plate, resonating cavities and the central and/or peripheral nervous system. Speech disorders can also be caused by hearing impairments or even the way the parents or adults interact with children. 

 “The distinction between a speech disorder and a language disorder is an important
one.” (Bennett, Dworet, Weber)
 
Speech Disorders
• difficulty with oral language production
• articulation, fluency and vocal impairments
• delayed onset, or absence of speech
 
Language Disorders
• problems receiving and / or expressing language
• includes delayed, different, deviant language, or no language
 
Although it is most common for individuals to experience speech and language
difficulties simultaneously, some experience difficulties in just one area. For example, an
individual with Cerebral Palsy may have no difficulty with receiving or expressing language
(through computer technology), while experiencing difficulties with oral communication
(speech).
 

Language Disorders
 
Definitions and Characteristics
Students with language disorders experience impairment in understanding or using
verbal and or written communication. Difficulties with language are often, “...associated
with neurological, psychological, physical, or sensory factors,” affecting, “all aspects of a
student’s school life and may be key features of other exceptionalities.” (The Ontario Curriculum
Unit Planner: Special Education Companion © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002 p.42) Language disorders affect individuals socially, as well as academically, in terms of general learning, reading and
writing.
 
Classification
Depending on the severity of difficulties an individual has, they are categorized as
having either a language delay or disorder.
 
Language Disorder
• child experiences difficulty in most aspects of expressive and receptive language
• most cases require specialized intervention
 
Language Delay
• child learns at a slower pace than typical-aged peers
• less responsive to peer / teacher interaction
• talk about 50% less than their peers
• often resolved by age 5 or 6, as children catch up to their peers
• includes problems with receptive and expressive language, alone or in combination
 
Etiology
Language is a part of life from early infancy. Although children typically reach particular
milestones in the area of language development, some experience difficulties and fall behind
their same aged peers, for a variety of reasons. Medical factors like hearing impairments and
orofacial defects can both contribute to language problems. Some individuals acquire a
language problem later in life as a result of damage to the speech and language portions of
the brain, although stroke is the most common cause in adult impairments. Children with a
history of neglect and lack of exposure to language may also struggle in their development. It
has been found that, in some cases, mothers of children with physical and developmental
exceptionalities interact and play with them less, in some cases, depriving children with lower
verbal skills the opportunity to speak for themselves by speaking on their own behalf.

 Prevalence 
Many instances of language impairments go unreported, and the validity of survey
results on the topic is questionable. These factors make it difficult to measure the number of
children effected by language problems, and their various degrees of impairment. It is
believed that 7-10% of all children have a combined speech and language disorder, while only
about 1% display only a language disorder. It is also estimated that, “...of all children with
language disabilities, about 2/3 are boys.” (Winzer)
There is also debate over how to classify and define various language impairments.
Some common terms used to define common language problems include: language delay,
language disorder, aphasia/ dysphasia (developmental/ acquired)*, receptive and/ or
expressive language problems*.
While children with average learning levels can exhibit language problems, they most
commonly affect individuals with physical and developmental exceptionalities. Children with
hearing impairments often experience problems with language, as well as those with autism
spectrum disorders. Some adults are also effected by language difficulties, due to life-long
exceptionalities, and medical conditions like stroke, head injury, and disease (dysphasia/
acquired aphasia*).

 *Definitions*Aphasia- “conditions that affect language reception and expression.” (Winzer)
Dysphasia/ Acquired Aphasia- “...conditions (trauma) that occur after language has been developed.” (Winzer)
Receptive Language Disorders-“...interfere with the comprehension of spoken
language.” (Winzer)
Expressive Language Disorders-“...affect the formulation of grammatic utterances.”
(Winzer)