| Disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. |
Communication Disorders--
Expressive language disorder (DSM 315.31) is a communication disorder which is characterised by
having a limited vocabulary and grasp of grammar. It is a general language impairment that puts the
person onto the level of a younger person and also a person can be as young as 2 or 3 years old
with the disorder.
As well as present speech production, very often, someone will have difficulty remembering things.
This memory problem is only disturbing for speech; non-verbal or non-linguistically based memory
will be unimpaired.
Expressive language disorder affects work and schooling in many ways. It is usually treated by
specific speech therapy, and usually cannot be expected to go away on its own.
Care must be taken to distinguish expressive language disorder from other communication
disorders, sensory-motor disturbances, intellectual disability and/or environmental deprivation (see
DSM-IV-TR criterion D). These factors affect a person's speech and writing to certain predictable
extents, and with certain differences.
Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder (DSM-IV 315.32) is a communication disorder in
which both the receptive and expressive areas of communication may be affected in any degree,
from mild to severe.
If someone is being assessed on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, for instance, this may show
up in relatively low scores for Information, Vocabulary and Comprehension (perhaps below the 25th
percentile). If the person has difficulty with spatial concepts, such as 'over', 'under', 'here' and
'there', he or she may have arithmetic difficulties, have difficulty understanding word problems and
instructions, or have difficulties using words.
They may also have a more general problem with words or sentences, both understanding and
speaking them.
If someone is suspected to have mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, then they can go to
a speech therapist or pathologist, and receive treatment. Most treatments are short term, and rely
on accommodations made in the person's environment, so as to be minimally interfering with work
and school functioning.
Speech disorders or speech impediments, as they are also called, are a type of communication
disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is
totally unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.
Stuttering, also known as stammering in the United Kingdom, is a speech disorder in which the flow
of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or
phrases; and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds.
The term stuttering is most commonly associated with involuntary sound repetition, but it also
encompasses the abnormal hesitation or pausing before speech, referred to by stutterers as blocks,
and the prolongation of certain sounds, usually vowels. Much of what constitutes "stuttering" cannot
be observed by the listener; this includes such things as sound and word fears, situational fears,
anxiety, tension, self-pity, stress, shame, and a feeling of "loss of control" during speech. The
emotional state of the individual who stutters in response to the stuttering often constitutes the
most difficult aspect of the disorder. The term "stuttering", as popularly used, covers a wide
spectrum of severity: it may encompass individuals with barely perceptible impediments, for whom
the disorder is largely cosmetic, as well as others with extremely severe symptoms, for whom the
problem can effectively prevent most oral communication.
Stuttering is generally not a problem with the physical production of speech sounds (see Speech
sound disorders, Voice disorders) or putting thoughts into words (see Dyslexia, Cluttering). Despite
popular perceptions to the contrary, stuttering does not affect and has no bearing on intelligence.
Apart from their speech impairment, people who stutter are normal. Anxiety, low confidence,
nervousness, and stress therefore do not cause stuttering, although they are very often the result
of living with a highly stigmatized disability.
The disorder is also variable, which means that in certain situations, such as talking on the
telephone, the stuttering might be more severe or less, depending on the anxiety level connected
with that activity. In other situations, such as singing (as with country music star Mel Tillis or pop
singer Gareth Gates) or speaking alone (or reading from a script, as with actor James Earl Jones),
fluency improves. (It is thought that speech production in these situations, as opposed to normal
spontaneous speech, may involve a different neurological function.) Some very mild stutterers, such
as Bob Newhart, have used the disorder to their advantage, although more severe stutterers very
often face serious hurdles in their social and professional lives. Although the exact etiology of
stuttering is unknown, both genetics and neurophysiology are thought to contribute. Although there
are many treatments and speech therapy techniques available that may help increase fluency in some
stutterers, there is essentially no "cure" for the disorder at present.
A communication disorder is a disease or condition that partially or totally prevents human
communication. The defect can be in producing, receiving or understanding the communication.
Examples of communication disorders:
* autism -- a developmental defect that affects understanding of emotional communication
* aphasia -- loss of the ability to produce or comprehend language
* learning disability - both speaking and listening components of the definition
* dysnomia - deficit involving word retrieval
* asperger syndrome - areas of social and pragmatic language
* blindness -- a defect of the eye or visual system
* deafness -- a defect of the ear or auditory system
* dyslexia -- a defect of the systems used in reading
* dyscalculia -- a defect of the systems used in communicating numbers
* expressive language disorder -- affects speaking and understanding where there is no delay in
non-verbal intelligence
* mixed receptive-expressive language disorder -- affects speaking, understanding, reading and
writing where there is no delay in non-verbal intelligence
* speech disorders such as:
o cluttering, a speech organization disorder
o stuttering
o oesophageal voice
o speech sound disorder
o specific language impairment
Expressive language disorder (DSM 315.31) is a communication disorder which is characterised by
having a limited vocabulary and grasp of grammar. It is a general language impairment that puts the
person onto the level of a younger person and also a person can be as young as 2 or 3 years old
with the disorder.
As well as present speech production, very often, someone will have difficulty remembering things.
This memory problem is only disturbing for speech; non-verbal or non-linguistically based memory
will be unimpaired.
Expressive language disorder affects work and schooling in many ways. It is usually treated by
specific speech therapy, and usually cannot be expected to go away on its own.
Care must be taken to distinguish expressive language disorder from other communication
disorders, sensory-motor disturbances, intellectual disability and/or environmental deprivation (see
DSM-IV-TR criterion D). These factors affect a person's speech and writing to certain predictable
extents, and with certain differences.
Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder (DSM-IV 315.32) is a communication disorder in
which both the receptive and expressive areas of communication may be affected in any degree,
from mild to severe.
If someone is being assessed on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, for instance, this may show
up in relatively low scores for Information, Vocabulary and Comprehension (perhaps below the 25th
percentile). If the person has difficulty with spatial concepts, such as 'over', 'under', 'here' and
'there', he or she may have arithmetic difficulties, have difficulty understanding word problems and
instructions, or have difficulties using words.
They may also have a more general problem with words or sentences, both understanding and
speaking them.
If someone is suspected to have mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, then they can go to
a speech therapist or pathologist, and receive treatment. Most treatments are short term, and rely
on accommodations made in the person's environment, so as to be minimally interfering with work
and school functioning.
Speech disorders or speech impediments, as they are also called, are a type of communication
disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is
totally unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.
Stuttering, also known as stammering in the United Kingdom, is a speech disorder in which the flow
of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or
phrases; and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds.
The term stuttering is most commonly associated with involuntary sound repetition, but it also
encompasses the abnormal hesitation or pausing before speech, referred to by stutterers as blocks,
and the prolongation of certain sounds, usually vowels. Much of what constitutes "stuttering" cannot
be observed by the listener; this includes such things as sound and word fears, situational fears,
anxiety, tension, self-pity, stress, shame, and a feeling of "loss of control" during speech. The
emotional state of the individual who stutters in response to the stuttering often constitutes the
most difficult aspect of the disorder. The term "stuttering", as popularly used, covers a wide
spectrum of severity: it may encompass individuals with barely perceptible impediments, for whom
the disorder is largely cosmetic, as well as others with extremely severe symptoms, for whom the
problem can effectively prevent most oral communication.
Stuttering is generally not a problem with the physical production of speech sounds (see Speech
sound disorders, Voice disorders) or putting thoughts into words (see Dyslexia, Cluttering). Despite
popular perceptions to the contrary, stuttering does not affect and has no bearing on intelligence.
Apart from their speech impairment, people who stutter are normal. Anxiety, low confidence,
nervousness, and stress therefore do not cause stuttering, although they are very often the result
of living with a highly stigmatized disability.
The disorder is also variable, which means that in certain situations, such as talking on the
telephone, the stuttering might be more severe or less, depending on the anxiety level connected
with that activity. In other situations, such as singing (as with country music star Mel Tillis or pop
singer Gareth Gates) or speaking alone (or reading from a script, as with actor James Earl Jones),
fluency improves. (It is thought that speech production in these situations, as opposed to normal
spontaneous speech, may involve a different neurological function.) Some very mild stutterers, such
as Bob Newhart, have used the disorder to their advantage, although more severe stutterers very
often face serious hurdles in their social and professional lives. Although the exact etiology of
stuttering is unknown, both genetics and neurophysiology are thought to contribute. Although there
are many treatments and speech therapy techniques available that may help increase fluency in some
stutterers, there is essentially no "cure" for the disorder at present.
A communication disorder is a disease or condition that partially or totally prevents human
communication. The defect can be in producing, receiving or understanding the communication.
Examples of communication disorders:
* autism -- a developmental defect that affects understanding of emotional communication
* aphasia -- loss of the ability to produce or comprehend language
* learning disability - both speaking and listening components of the definition
* dysnomia - deficit involving word retrieval
* asperger syndrome - areas of social and pragmatic language
* blindness -- a defect of the eye or visual system
* deafness -- a defect of the ear or auditory system
* dyslexia -- a defect of the systems used in reading
* dyscalculia -- a defect of the systems used in communicating numbers
* expressive language disorder -- affects speaking and understanding where there is no delay in
non-verbal intelligence
* mixed receptive-expressive language disorder -- affects speaking, understanding, reading and
writing where there is no delay in non-verbal intelligence
* speech disorders such as:
o cluttering, a speech organization disorder
o stuttering
o oesophageal voice
o speech sound disorder
o specific language impairment
The teen years are full of challenges. For teens who
stutter, it can also be a lonely time. They need to
know that they are not alone - and that real help is
available. In this 2005 updated 30 minute streaming
video, teens share their experiences of stuttering and
talk about what works for them. Narrated by high
school student David Wilkins, who stutters himself,
Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teens provides forthright
information and advice on managing stuttering in
academic and social settings. Noted clinicians
demonstrate helpful techniques and discuss:
- what stuttering is - concerns and feelings
associated with stuttering - stuttering in the school
setting - ways to help yourself and where to find help.
This video is an excellent resource for teens and
adults, their families, teachers, physicians, and
speech-language pathologists. Produced by Barry
Guitar, Ph.D., and Carroll Guitar, M.L.S., University of
Vermont; Edward G. Conture, Ph.D., Vanderbilt
University; Jane Fraser, Stuttering Foundation; Hugo
H. Gregory, Ph.D., Northwestern University; and Peter
Ramig, Ph.D., University of Colorado at Boulder.
stutter, it can also be a lonely time. They need to
know that they are not alone - and that real help is
available. In this 2005 updated 30 minute streaming
video, teens share their experiences of stuttering and
talk about what works for them. Narrated by high
school student David Wilkins, who stutters himself,
Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teens provides forthright
information and advice on managing stuttering in
academic and social settings. Noted clinicians
demonstrate helpful techniques and discuss:
- what stuttering is - concerns and feelings
associated with stuttering - stuttering in the school
setting - ways to help yourself and where to find help.
This video is an excellent resource for teens and
adults, their families, teachers, physicians, and
speech-language pathologists. Produced by Barry
Guitar, Ph.D., and Carroll Guitar, M.L.S., University of
Vermont; Edward G. Conture, Ph.D., Vanderbilt
University; Jane Fraser, Stuttering Foundation; Hugo
H. Gregory, Ph.D., Northwestern University; and Peter
Ramig, Ph.D., University of Colorado at Boulder.
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