SPEECH THERAPY:

Speech therapy is a treatment for speech and language disorders. A speech disorder involves a problem producing words and sounds, whereas a language disorder refers to a difficulty understanding words and putting together sentences and ideas for communication. Speech therapy helps individuals gain the ability to communicate through speech and language. Some People have trouble saying certain sounds or words. This can be frustrating because others may have trouble understanding what they’re trying to say. The good news is that People who have trouble saying certain sounds or understanding others can go to a special kind of therapist for help — speech therapists.

SYMPTOMS:

Language Disorder

Difficulties with learning and using language of various forms (i.e. spoken, written)

Reduced vocabulary

Limited ability to put words and word endings together to form grammatically correct sentences

Impaired ability to have a conversation or use language to explain or describe a topic

Language abilities are significantly below those expected for the individual’s age

Speech Sound Disorder

Difficulty with speech sound production

Persistent problems with articulation

Leaving out sounds where they should occur

Distorting sounds

Substituting an incorrect sound for a correct one

Trouble getting others to understand what they are trying to communicate

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder (Stuttering)

Repetition of syllables, sounds, or monosyllabic words (i.e. “I-I-I-I-I see them”)

Prolonging the vocalization of consonants and vowels

Broken words (i.e. pauses within a word)

Filled or unfilled pauses in speech

Word substitution to avoid problematic words

WFrustration with attempts to communicate

Embarrassment with speech

Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication

Limited ability to communicate for social purposes, such as greeting others or sharing information

Limited ability to change communication style to match context—for example, speaking as loudly in a classroom as on a playground

Difficulties following rules for conversation, such as taking turns speaking

Difficulties understanding what is ambiguous or not explicitly stated, such as metaphors or ironic humor

STAMMERING/STUTTERING:

The stammering/stuttering is the fluency disorder of speech and is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds. For example: ” W- W- W- Where are you going?” (Part-word repetition: The person is having difficulty moving from the “w” in “where” to the remaining sounds in the word. On the fourth attempt, he successfully completes the word.) ” SSSS ave me a seat.” (Sound prolongation: The person is having difficulty moving from the “s” in “save” to the remaining sounds in the word. He continues to say the “s” sound until he is able to complete the word.) “I’ll meet you – um um you know like – around six o’clock.” (A series of interjections: The person expects to have difficulty smoothly joining the word “you” with the word “around.” In response to the anticipated difficulty, he produces several interjections until he is able to say the word “around” smoothly.)

MISPRONUNCIATION/MISARTICULATION:

Beginning in the childhood, the person with deviant articulation or phonology (e.g. saying dod for dog, lam for ram , teater for teacher etc.) may experience unfavorable comments, teasing ,ostracism, exclusion, labeling and frustration. Such experience may result in a low sense of personal worth with the accompanying attitudes of feeling different, incompetent, stupid, socially inept, or disliked. As these unfavorable attitudes continue to develop, they may affect academic performance and behavior. The person with atypical articulation may begin to ‘play the part’ of an atypical person. Grades my begin to drop, and disruptive behavior may become commonplace.

DELAYED SPEECH IN CHILDREN:

Children’s speech and language development follows a typical pattern. For example at first birth day the normal children speak at least one meaningful word, at the age of 2 years they should able to combined two words and at the age of 3years expected to speak in sentences .The deviation in such pattern is considered as delayed speech and language. Mostly it is associated with Autism, hearing impairment, mental retardation, inadequate speech and language stimulation at home, cleft lip and palate, ADHD. Early professional help (Speech therapy) can be very much effective for developing the communication skills and achieving academic goal among such children.