There are a number of speech impediments. Stuttering, also known as stammering, is one. Lisping is another. Inability to speak at all is known as muteness. If the vocal muscles are damaged, paralyzed or weak, the cause may be in the nerves or the brain. This condition is called dysarthria. Stroke victims may have this condition as may those with Parkinson's disease or cerebral palsy. Surgical misadventure and injuries to the head and neck may also cause these symptoms.
There are various names given to speech impediments. If vowels and consonants are rearranged within words, the disorder is called apraxia. There may also be inconsistencies with voice production. A voice disorder is the term given to impediments that come from impairment of the larynx. If specific sounds are difficult for a person they may have an articulation or phonemic disorder. Brain tumors can cause a person's individual and distinctive speech characteristics to be affected as can neurological trauma. This is called dysprosody.
Other ailments such as mental retardation, brain injury, cleft palate, hearing loss and drug abuse may all impact on communication patterns. Up to 1% of the global population is believed to be affected by some type of impediment. Psychotherapy, speech therapy and medical treatments are some of the interventions used to help those with problems.
Having an impediment of this type impacts significantly on sufferers. Social situations in particular become potentially threatening. Children especially may be subjected to bullying and teasing.
Stammering and stuttering is characterized by repetitious utterances of single sounds, words or phrases. Lengthy, involuntary pauses are another symptom of stuttering. The sufferer struggles to express their ideas and to communicate. This can result in anxiety and unease when out in public.
Stuttering ranges from being very mild to very severe. The problem is not in pronouncing words or sounds as units and there is also no difficulty in processing thought patterns. The level of intelligence has no bearing on stuttering.
There are three traits which are common with most stutterers. Repetition of sounds or parts of words is one. Lengthening of a sound is another. An initial letter may be drawn out for several seconds before a person can move on in their dialogue. Once a child or person is aware of their problems and becomes anxious and tense, they may then experience blocks when there is abnormal hesitation before speaking.
Embarrassment, tension and shame are common emotions of those who stutter. Some isolate themselves and go to great lengths to avoid speaking on the phone. They will avoid social gatherings and may have trouble functioning in day-to-day situations.
When put in a stressful situation, it takes very little to cause a sufferer to stutter. With some, the condition may occur only rarely when the person is relaxed and/or with empathetic people. For most, speaking in public is very stressful. Negative emotions such as fear and frustration only add to a person's stress and increases the severity of the stutter.
There does not seem to be a cure at the present time but many people are able to find a treatment which helps them have some control over their stuttering. Some severe stutterers report much fewer problems if they copy another. Whispering, acting or singing can sometimes be achieved without problems. Many are able to speak to pets or small children without stuttering. Techniques for helping those with speech impediments is ongoing.
There are various names given to speech impediments. If vowels and consonants are rearranged within words, the disorder is called apraxia. There may also be inconsistencies with voice production. A voice disorder is the term given to impediments that come from impairment of the larynx. If specific sounds are difficult for a person they may have an articulation or phonemic disorder. Brain tumors can cause a person's individual and distinctive speech characteristics to be affected as can neurological trauma. This is called dysprosody.
Other ailments such as mental retardation, brain injury, cleft palate, hearing loss and drug abuse may all impact on communication patterns. Up to 1% of the global population is believed to be affected by some type of impediment. Psychotherapy, speech therapy and medical treatments are some of the interventions used to help those with problems.
Having an impediment of this type impacts significantly on sufferers. Social situations in particular become potentially threatening. Children especially may be subjected to bullying and teasing.
Stammering and stuttering is characterized by repetitious utterances of single sounds, words or phrases. Lengthy, involuntary pauses are another symptom of stuttering. The sufferer struggles to express their ideas and to communicate. This can result in anxiety and unease when out in public.
Stuttering ranges from being very mild to very severe. The problem is not in pronouncing words or sounds as units and there is also no difficulty in processing thought patterns. The level of intelligence has no bearing on stuttering.
There are three traits which are common with most stutterers. Repetition of sounds or parts of words is one. Lengthening of a sound is another. An initial letter may be drawn out for several seconds before a person can move on in their dialogue. Once a child or person is aware of their problems and becomes anxious and tense, they may then experience blocks when there is abnormal hesitation before speaking.
Embarrassment, tension and shame are common emotions of those who stutter. Some isolate themselves and go to great lengths to avoid speaking on the phone. They will avoid social gatherings and may have trouble functioning in day-to-day situations.
When put in a stressful situation, it takes very little to cause a sufferer to stutter. With some, the condition may occur only rarely when the person is relaxed and/or with empathetic people. For most, speaking in public is very stressful. Negative emotions such as fear and frustration only add to a person's stress and increases the severity of the stutter.
There does not seem to be a cure at the present time but many people are able to find a treatment which helps them have some control over their stuttering. Some severe stutterers report much fewer problems if they copy another. Whispering, acting or singing can sometimes be achieved without problems. Many are able to speak to pets or small children without stuttering. Techniques for helping those with speech impediments is ongoing.
