Common Types and Different Causes of Adult Speech Impairment
When a toddler has a speech impairment it can be a cute and endearing part of their unique dialect, but as children grow older and become adults speech impairments can be a cause of embarrassment and even shame. Luckily speech therapists can provide ongoing treatment to help overcome many common speech impairments so individuals can become more confident and outgoing. According to Healthline, adult speech impairments include any symptoms that cause an adult to have difficulty with vocal communication. Examples include speech that’s:
- slurred
- slowed
- hoarse
- stuttered
- rapid
Depending on the underlying cause of your speech impairment, you may also experience other symptoms, such as:
- drooling
- weakened facial muscles
- trouble remembering words
- expressive language deficits
- sudden contraction of your vocal muscles
Common types of adult speech impairment:
There are many different types of speech impairment and speech disorders, including:
- Apraxia (AOS), which is a neurological disorder that makes it difficult for someone with the condition to say what they want to say correctly
- Dysarthria, which is slurred or choppy speech
- Spasmodic Dysphonia, which can cause your voice to be hoarse, airy, and tight
- Vocal Disturbances, which are changes in the sound and ease of your speech caused by any factor that changes the function or shape of your vocal cords
Causes of adult speech impairment
Different types of speech impairment are caused by different things. For example, you may develop a speech impairment because of:
- stroke
- traumatic brain injury
- degenerative neurological or motor disorder
- injury or illness that affects your vocal cords
- dementia
Depending on the cause and type of speech impairment, it may occur suddenly or develop gradually.
At US Rehab, we offer private speech therapy sessions to our clients. Our purpose is to enable a person to improve their communication skills following an injury or illness. If someone is having any of the following difficulties they should seek the aid of a speech therapist. Here are a few areas Speech Therapy focuses on:
- Any chewing/swallowing difficulties or changes
- Difficulty expressing thoughts or identifying common objects or people
- Difficulty understanding written and spoken language
- Changes in memory, attention, orientation
- Muscle weakness or rigidity
- Changes in the quality of voice
Just like muscles of the body need strengthening and coordination, so do the muscles of the tongue and throat to make proper speech. Our speech therapists work on neurological exercises and speech exercises to help with a wide array of speech/language difficulties. Our speech therapists work to improve understanding, pronunciation, and forming of speech to help you be more social and communicate effectively. For more information on speech therapy, contact US Rehabilitation and Health Services at Dearborn, Ypsilanti, and Southfield, MI centers for an appointment.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/speech-impairment-adult#common-types
Tags: speech therapy, therapies, speech impairment