Speech and Language Disorders

Apraxia

Apraxia is a neurological motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to speak.

• Apraxia makes certain muscular movements harder to perform
• Apraxia is caused by brain disease or damage, this can occur, before during or after birth.

Cleft and Lip Palate

Cleft and lip palates are openings in the lip or the upper part of the mouth.

• Cleft and lip palate occurs in unborn children.
• It can easily fixed with minimal scarring.
• Submucous cleft palates (only in the muscles) may not be noticed until a child begins to speak, in which case their speech may appear more nasal.

Dysarthia

Dysarthia is a motor speech impairment caused by muscle weakness.

• Dysarthia can occur at birth or after an illness or injury.
• Dysarthia causes a change in the speed of speech due to weakened muscles.

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder is an abnormal pattern in the movement of the mouth and facial muscles.

• Orofacial myofunctional disorders can be caused by allergies, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, extended pacifier or bottle use, thumb sucking, genetic disposition.

• Signs and symptoms include; drooling a lot beyond 2, difficulty closing lips to swallow, tongue pushing past teeth (when not talking or using their tongue), overbite or underbite, eating is difficult or messy.

• Sometimes speech isn't affected, but most often it causes /s/,/z/, “sh”, “zh”, “ch” and “j” sounds to sound differently. And /t/, /d/, /n/, and /l/ can be affected due to weak tongue muscles.

Stuttering

Stuttering, stammering or childhood-onset fluency disorder is a neurologically based disorder.

• Children who stutter can find internal and external stressor may make the stutter worse.
• It is common for children to go through a period of stuttering.
• See a speech therapist if stuttering; lasts longer than 6 months, becomes more frequent, starts to stutter late (3 and a half years), occurs with visibiltiy of muscle tightening, avoids talking or there is a family history of stuttering.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a bio neurological developmental disability.

• Autism affects social interaction, communication and cognitive function.
• ASD refers to a broad range of conditions, the autism spectrum is very wide and symptoms vary from person to person. Each child will have their own strengths and challenges.
• Autism can be diagnosed by 2 or 3 years old although some symptoms may be noticied earlier, early intervention can help symptoms.
• Boys are four times more likely to have autism than boys.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Developmental Language Disorder affects the way a child understands and uses language.

• DLD affects two people in every classroom, it is a long term condition.
• DLD is five times more common than autism.
• There is no known cause however research has found some links, there is genetic component, it's associated with a number of other disorders.
• DLD use to be called Specific Language Impairment.
• Check out our DLD page here.

Selective Mutism

Selective Mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder.

• Meaning that a child may be unable to speak in particular social settings.
• No single cause has been found, a childs temperament, access to social situations, anxiety, separation disorder and genetic factors have all been found to play a role.