What are Speech Disorders?

Any difficulties or abnormalities as a result of learned behavior or any organic problems which gets manifested as unnatural sound production can be termed as speech disorders. Most common manifestation of speech disorders are,

• Articulation disorders: When there are problems with making sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to an extent that the listeners fails or struggles to understand. Speech might appear distorted or unintelligible.
• Fluency disorders: The normal flow of speech is affected hence the speakers speak at a faster rate or with obstruction that might hamper the ability of understanding the speech by a listener.
• Resonance or voice disorders: Disorders which affects the quality of voice by abnormal pitch, loudness or ease of producing speech. Usually these aspects distract the listener which might cause a potential threat to confidence of speaker.

What are Language Disorders?

Language n simpler terms refers to an ability of individual to put together the words in such manner that a group/community of so called normal people can understand. When an individual finds difficulty in formulating his thoughts and ideas in a manner that puts his listeners in a difficult situation to understand. Difficulty could be seen at different aspects of language either separately or in combination.

• Receptive disorders - are those which prevent an individual from understanding what is being read or what others say.
• Expressive disorders - causes difficulty in making meaningful sentences or express his ideas. Could be reflected as limited vocabulary, semantical errors difficulty in writing etc.
• Cognitive-communication disorders - these disorders affects the complex pre requisite abilities for language reception and perception. Abilities such as memory, attention, perception, organization, regulation, and problem solving are primarily affected.

What are Feeding Disorders?

Dysphasia/oral feeding disorders are those which affect the normal way of eating, drinking or swallowing. These are usually secondary manifestations of some organic cause such as neck cancer, cleft lip and /or palate and paralysis. These individuals tend to have issues with swallowing resulting in nasal regurgitation of food, pain while swallowing, inability to move tongue, food coming out of mouth etc.

Who Gives Speech-Language Therapy?

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), often called speech therapists, are professionals specialized in the field of human communication, its development and disorders. SLPs assess speech, language, cognitive-communication, and oral/feeding/swallowing abilities using sophisticated and specialized diagnostic tools in order to assess and plan the rehabilitative management program.

Why do Some Kids and Adults Need Speech-Language Therapy?

Kids might need speech-language therapy when they suffer from any of the following signs and symptoms, as leaving them unattended for any reason might end up in lifelong difficulties making them to suffer for long time.

• Hearing impairments
• Cognitive (intellectual, thinking) or other developmental delays
• Weak oral muscles
• Chronic hoarseness
• Autism
• Cleft lip and palate
• Motor planning problems
• Articulation problems
• Fluency disorders
• Respiratory problems (breathing disorders)
• Feeding and swallowing disorders
• Traumatic brain injury

The intervention should begin as early as possible as the ability of brain to adapt to changes goes weaker with the passage of time. This does not mean that if therapy is given at later stage might not be useful but earlier is the intervention better is the prognosis.

Services available with us,

• Speech, language and voice assessment in pediatrics, adults and geriatrics
• Therapeutic management of speech, language and voice disorders
• One to one and group therapy sessions
• Treatment for stuttering and other fluency disorders
• Auditory verbal therapy (Post CI management)
• Neurological speech – language disorder management