A speech disorder is an impairment of articulation of speech sounds, fluency or voice. Some causes may be related to hearing loss, stroke or severe head injury, or mental retardation. Speech disfluencies such as stuttering may be influenced by genetics, incoordination of speech muscles, environmental factors, or rate of language development. Disorders of language affect children and adults differently. For children who do not use language normally from birth, or who acquire the impairment in childhood, the disorder occurs in the context of a language system that is not fully developed or acquired.
Adults acquire disorders of language because of stroke, head injury, dementia, or brain tumors.
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists across the country designate this special month to inform and educate consumers about communication disorders and their roles in treating these disorders. Audiologists are hearing health care professionals who specialize in preventing, identifying and assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids and other assistive listening devices. Speech-language pathologists are the professionals who identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 99,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Protect Your Hearing This Summer.