For most people, talking is easy. After all, we do it every day. But for those with speech impairments, talking can be unbearable.
Speech disorders affect roughly 9 percent of young children in the United States, and also affect many of those who suffer strokes. Understanding and working with these disorders is important for helping those who suffer to regain a normal life.
“Often, it’s academic performance that’s impacted by speech impediments,” said Peter Guiod, clinical speech pathologist at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.
“This can put a lot of distance between listeners and talkers,” which can lead to a disruption in a student’s learning and ability to create relationships, Guiod said.
One way to prevent academic disruption in children with speech disorders is early intervention. Guiod said Massachusetts schools have speech therapists that can help work with a child, but some impairments, such as articulation disorders, may not be treated by school speech therapists. For these disorders, Guiod suggested seeking outside sources to assist.
Guiod said that specialists are not sure what causes speech impediments, but that there are several factors involved. Motor planning, which is when the brain rapidly creates a method to make a sound, may have an issue, and in this case the plan will get repeated. During this, issues like stuttering happen.
One cause that is known, however, is brain injury. While not every person who has a speech impediment has a brain injury, Guiod said that after someone has a stroke, it is relatively common that they incur a speech disorder as a result.
For stroke victims, speech therapy is one of the first steps in regaining control of their life. Professionals like Guiod help stroke sufferers along and develop intricate plans that are specific to their impediment. These plans may take months or longer, and some function may not come back fully.
To find out more about speech disorders, visit: www.nidcd.nih.gov