Language impairment is different from speech impairment. It is caused by damage to the brain that makes it difficult or even impossible to use or understand words. Speech impairments vary widely in their cause, effect, and treatment. Some babies are born with physical conditions, such as cleft lip and cleft palate , that make it difficult or impossible to learn to speak. Cleft lip is an incomplete joining of the upper lip.
Cleft palate is an abnormal passageway through the roof of the mouth into the airway of the nose.
Because these problems are present at birth, they are called congenital. Some congenital disorders, such as cleft palate or lip , can be repaired with surgery. With other problems, a speech therapist can help during rehabilitation supervised by a doctor. People who have lost their speech because of a stroke can often regain some or all of their speaking ability by working with a speech therapist. ASL is mostly used by people who are deaf or severely hearing impaired, but many people can benefit from learning it.