Communication disorders include problems related to

speech, language, and communication. Speech refers to

the production of sounds that allow individuals to express
themselves, and includes articulation, fluency, voice, and
resonance quality.
Language refers to the use of a system of symbols,
such as spoken words, sign language, written words, or
pictures, that allow people to communicate in a rule-
governed manner. Communication refers to any verbal or
nonverbal behavior that influences the behavior, ideas, or
attitudes of another person.
Disorders impairing a patients communication
abilities may involve voice, speech, language,
hearing, and/or cognition. Recognizing and
addressing communication disorders is important;
failure to do so may result in isolation, depression,
and loss of independence.

A voice disorder exists when the voices quality,

pitch, or volume differs from that of other persons of
similar age, culture, and geographic location.
Speech
Speech is produced by precise, coordinated
muscle actions in the head, neck, chest, and
abdomen. Speech development is a gradual
process that requires years of practice.
During speech development, one learns how to
regulate these muscles to produce intelligible
speech. It is estimated that by the first grade,
five percent of children have noticeable speech
disorders, the majority of which have no known
cause.
Language
Language is the expression of human communication through which
knowledge, beliefs, and behavior can be experienced, explained, and
shared.
A language disorder is the impairment or deviant development of
expression and/or comprehension of words in context.
The disorder may involve the form of language, the content of
language, and/or the function of language as a communication tool.
It is estimated that between six and eight million individuals in the
United States have some form of language impairment. Disorders of
language affect children and adults differently.
For children who do not use language normally from birth, or who
acquire the impairment in childhood, the disorder occurs in the
context of a language system that has not been not fully developed or
acquired. Many adults acquire disorders of language because of stroke,
head injury, dementia, or brain tumors.
Auditory Processing (Hearing
Auditory processing is the term used to describe what
happens in your brain when it recognizes and
interprets the sounds around you.
Humans hear energy, which we recognize as sound
when it travels through the ear and is changed into
electrical impulses that can be interpreted by the
brain.
The "disorder" part of auditory processing disorder
(APD) means that something is adversely affecting the
processing or interpretation of information.
Speech Sound Disorder
Difficulty with speech sound production
Trouble getting others to understand what they are
trying to communicate
Persistent problems with articulation
Leaving out sounds where they should occur
Distorting sounds
Substituting an incorrect sound for a correct one
Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder
(Stuttering)
Repetition of syllables, sounds, or monosyllabic words
(i.e. "I-I-I-I-I see them")
Prolonging the vocalization of consonants and vowels
Broken words (i.e. pauses within a word)
Filled or unfilled pauses in speech
Word substitution to avoid problematic words
Words produced with an excess of physical tension
(head jerking, eye blinking)
Frustration with attempts to communicate
Embarrassment with speech
Social (Pragmatic) Communication
Disorder
Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and
nonverbal communication
Limited ability to communicate for social purposes,
such as greeting others or sharing information
Limited ability to change communication style to
match contextfor example, speaking as loudly in a
classroom as on a playground
Difficulties following rules for conversation, such as
taking turns speaking
Difficulties understanding what is ambiguous or not
explicitly stated, such as metaphors or ironic humor.
Delayed language:
characterized by a marked slowness in the
development of language skills necessary for
expressing and understanding thoughts and ideas.
Auditory processing disorder:
Children with APD typically have normal hearing and
intelligence. Symptoms include:
Difficulty paying attention to and remembering information
presented orally
Problems carrying out multistep directions
Poor listening skills
Needing more time to process information
Low academic performance
Behavior problems
Language difficulty (confusing syllable sequences and having
trouble developing vocabulary and understanding language)
Problems with reading, comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary
Aphasia
Aphasia the loss of previously learned
communication skills that results from damage to
portions of the brain responsible for language. Aphasia
usually occurs suddenly, most commonly as the result
of a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop
slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor.
Types of Aphasia
There are four main types of aphasia:
1. Expressive aphasia: you know what you want to say,
but you have trouble saying or writing what you
mean.
2. Receptive aphasia: you hear the voice or see the print,
but you can't make sense of the words.
3. Anomic aphasia: you have trouble using the correct
words for objects, places, or events.
4. Global aphasia: you can't speak, understand speech,
read, or write.