Speech impairment (adult) Health Article

Definition

Speech and language impairment may be any of several problems that make it difficult to communicate.

See also:

• Stuttering
• Expressive language disorder - developmental

Alternative Names

Language impairment; Impairment of speech; Inability to speak; Aphasia; Dysarthria; Slurred speech; Dysphonia voice disorders

Considerations

Common speech and language disorders include:

APHASIA

Aphasia is loss of the ability to understand or express spoken or written language. It commonly occurs following strokes or traumatic brain injuries, or in people with brain tumors or degenerative diseases that affect the language areas of the brain. This term does not apply to children who have never developed communication skills. There are many different types of aphasia.

In some cases of aphasia, the problem eventually corrects itself, but in others the condition is irreversible.

DYSARTHRIA

In dysarthria, the person has ongoing difficulty expressing certain sounds or words. They have poorly pronounced speech (such as slurring) and the rhythm or speed of speech is changed. Usually, a nerve or brain disorder has made it difficult to control the larynx and vocal cords, which make speech.

Dysarthria, which is a difficulty pronouncing words, is sometimes confused with aphasia, which is a difficulty producing language. They have different causes.

People with dysarthria may also have problems swallowing.

VOICE DISTURBANCES

Anything that changes the shape of the vocal cords or the way they work will cause a voice disturbance. Lump-like growths such as nodules, polyps, cysts, papillomas, granulomas, and cancers can be to blame. These changes cause the voice to sound different from the way it normally sounds.

DYSPHONIA is another type of speech impairment. For information, see the article on spasmodic dysphonia.

Common Causes

Some of these disorders develop gradually, but anyone can develop a speech and language impairment suddenly, usually in a trauma.

APHASIA

• Alzheimer's disease
• Brain tumor (more common in aphasia than dysarthria)
• Dementia
• Head trauma
• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

DYSARTHRIA

• Alcohol intoxication
• Dementia
• Diseases that affect nerves and muscles (neuromuscular diseases), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), cerebral palsy, myasthenia gravis, or multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Facial trauma
• Facial weakness, such as Bell's palsy or tongue weakness
• Head trauma
• Head and neck cancer surgery
• Nervous system (neurological) disorders that affect the brain, such as Parkinson's disease or Huntington's disease (more common in dysarthria than aphasia)
• Poorly fitting dentures
• Side effects of medications that act on the central nervous system, such as narcotics, phenytoin, or carbamazepine
• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

VOICE DISTURBANCES

• Growths or nodules on the vocal cords
• People who use their voice heavily (teachers, coaches, vocal performers) are more likely to develop voice disorders