causes of communication disorders
Some causes of communication disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, mental retardation, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, vocal abuse or misuse, emotional or psychiatric disorders, and developmental disorders. Frequently, however, the cause is unknown. It is estimated one in every 10 Americans of all ages, races and genders, have experienced or lived with some type of communication disorder (including speech, language and hearing disorders). Nearly 6 million children under the age of 18 have a speech or language disorder. There are many potential causes of communication impairment; the most common is mental retardation.