|
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Speech and Language
I. Communication Disorders
II. Communication Variation
III. References
IV. Contact Information
back to top
Q. My child has been diagnosed with a communication disorder. What does that mean?
Q. What does a speech disorder entail?
Q. Is an articulation disorder the same as a speech disorder?
Q. How does a fluency disorder effect speech?
Q. What characterizes a voice disorder?
Q. What is a language disorder?
Q. What is a hearing disorder?
Q. What is a central auditory processing disorder?
(back to top)
Answer- A communication disorder is an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal and graphic symbol systems. A communication disorder may be evident in the processes of hearing, language, and/or speech. A communication disorder may range in severity from mild to profound. It may be developmental or acquired. Individuals may demonstrate one or any combination of communication disorders. A communication disorder may result in a primary disability or it may be secondary to other disabilities.
back to top
Answer-. A speech disorder is an impairment of the articulation of speech sounds, fluency and/or voice.
back to top
Answer-A fluency disorder is an interruption in the flow of speaking characterized by atypical rate, rhythm, and repetitions in sounds, syllables, words, and phrases. This may be accompanied by excessive tension, struggle behavior, and secondary mannerisms.
back to top
Answer- A voice disorder is characterized by the abnormal production and/or absences of vocal quality, pitch, loudness, resonance, and/or duration, which is inappropriate for an individual’s age and/or sex.
back to top
Answer- A language disorder is impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written and/or other symbol systems. The disorder may involve (1) the form of language (phonology, morphology, syntax), (2) the content of language (semantics), and/or (3) the function of language in communication (pragmatics) in any combination.
back to top
Answer- A hearing disorder is the result of impaired auditory sensitivity of the physiological auditory system. A hearing disorder may limit the development, comprehension, production, and/or maintenance of speech and/or language. Hearing disorders are classified according to difficulties in detection, recognition, discrimination, comprehension, and perception of auditory information. Individuals with hearing impairment may be described as deaf or hard of hearing.
back to top
Answer- Central auditory processing disorders are deficits in the information processing of audible signals not attributed to impaired peripheral hearing sensitivity or intellectual impairment. This information processing involves perceptual, cognitive, and linguistic functions that, with appropriate interaction, result in effective receptive communication of auditorily presented stimuli. Specifically, CAPD refers to limitations in the ongoing transmission, analysis, organization, transformation, elaboration, storage, retrieval, and use of information contained in audible signals. CAPD may involve the listener’s active and passive (e.g., conscious and unconscious,mediated and unmediated, controlled and automatic) ability to do the following:
attend, discriminate, and identify acoustic signals;
transform and continuously transmit information through both the peripheral and central nervous systems;
filter, sort, and combine information at appropriate perceptual and conceptual levels;
store and retrieve information efficiently;
restore, organize, and use retrieved information;
segment and decode acoustic stimuli using phonological, semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic knowledge; and
attach meaning to a stream of acoustic signals through use of linguistic and nonlinguistic contexts.
back to top
II. Communication Variations back to top
Q. What is a communication difference/dialect?
Q.What do augmentative/alternative communication systems provide?
Answer- Communication difference/dialect is a variation of a symbol system used by a group of individuals that reflects and is determined by shared regional, social, or cultural/ethnic factors. A regional, social, or cultural/ethnic variation of a symbol system should not be considered a disorder of speech or language.
back to top
Answer - Augmentative/alternative communication systems attempt to compensate and facilitate, temporarily or permanently, for the impairment and disability patterns of individuals with severe expressive and/or language comprehension disorders. Augmentative/alternative communication may be required for individuals demonstrating impairments in gestural, spoken, and/or written modalities.
back to top
back to top
References:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Ad Hoc Committee on Service Delivery in the Schools. (1993). Definitions of communication disorders and variations. Asha, 35 (Suppl. 10), 40–41.
- Index terms: AAC; central auditory processing disorder; communication disorder; definitions; dialect; hearing disorder; language disorder; speech disorder
- Definitions of Communication Disorders and Variations
- These guidelines are an official statement of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). They provide guidance on definitions of communication disorders and variations, but are not official standards of the Association. They were developed by the Ad Hoc Committee on Service Delivery in the Schools: Frances K. Block, chair; Amie Amiot, ex offico; Cheryl Deconde Johnson; Gina E. Nimmo; Peggy G. Von Almen; Deborah W. White; and Sara Hodge Zeno. Diane L. Eger, 1991–1993 vice president for professional practices, served as monitoring vice president. The 1992 guidelines supersede the paper titled
- “Communication Disorders and Variations,” ASHA, November 1982, pages 949–95O.
- ASHA Desk Reference Volume 4 Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. IV - 108, IV - 108a
back to top
|