Communication disorders include problems-related speech, language and auditory processing. Communication disorders may range from simple sound repetitions, such as stuttering, to occasional misarticulation of words and complete inability to use speech and language for communications (aphasia). Some causes of communication disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, mental retardation, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, vocal abuse or misuse, emotional or psychiatric disorders, and developmental disorders. Frequently, however, the cause is unknown. It is estimated one in every 10 Americans of all ages, races and genders, have experienced or lived with some type of communication disorder (including speech, language and hearing disorders). Nearly 6 million children under the age of 18 have a speech or language disorder.

There are many potential causes of communication impairment; the most common is mental retardation. Other causes include:

Hearing impairment

ADD

Learning disabilities

Autism

Schizophrenia

Cerebral palsy

Physical disability — cleft lip and palate, or malformations of the mouth or nose

Significant behavior or emotional problems, including deficits in social skills

Vocal cord injury

Cri-du-chat syndrome

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome

Poorly fitting dentures

Alcohol intoxication

Neurological disorders and diseases

Head trauma

Alzheimer’s disease

Stroke

Transient ischemic attack

The best treatment is prevention and early intervention.

Parents should be aware of developmental milestones. The most intensive period of speech and language development for humans is during the first three years of life, a period when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills appear to develop best in a world that is rich with sounds, sights and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.

There is increasing evidence suggesting that there are “critical periods” for speech and language development in infants and young children. This means that the developing brain is best able to absorb a language, any language, during this period. The ability to learn a language will be more difficult, and perhaps less efficient or effective, if these critical periods are allowed to pass without early exposure to a language. The beginning signs of communication occur during the first few days of life when an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort and companionship. The newborn also begins to recognize important sounds in his or her environment. The sound of a parent or voice can be one important sound. As they grow, infants begin to sort out the speech sounds (phonemes) or building blocks that compose the words of their language. Research has shown that by 6 months of age, most children recognize the basic sounds of their native language.

As the speech mechanism (jaw, lips and tongue) and voice mature, an infant is able to make controlled sound. This begins in the first few months of life with cooing — a quiet, pleasant, repetitive vocalization. By 6 months of age, an infant usually babbles or produces repetitive syllables such as “ba, ba, ba” or “da, da, da.” Babbling soon turns into a type of nonsense speech (jargon) that often has the tone and cadence of human speech but does not contain real words. By the end of their first year, most children have mastered the ability to say a few simple words. Children are most likely unaware of the meaning of their first words, but soon learn the power of those words as others respond to them.

By 18 months of age, most children can say eight to ten words. By age 2, most are putting words together in crude sentences such as “more milk.” During this period, children rapidly learn that words symbolize or represent objects, actions, and thoughts. At this age they also engage in representational or pretend play. At ages 3, 4 and 5, a child’s vocabulary rapidly increases, and she begins to master the rules of language.

If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, you should talk to your family doctor. Your doctor may decide to refer you to a speech-language pathologist, a health professional trained to evaluate and treat people who have speech, language, voice or swallowing disorders (including hearing impairment) that affect their ability to communicate. The speech-language pathologist will talk to you about your child’s communication and general development. She will also evaluate your child with special speech and language tests. A hearing test is often included in the evaluation because a hearing problem can affect speech and language development.

Depending upon the test results, the speech-language pathologist may suggest activities for home to stimulate speech and language development. These activities may include reading to your child regularly; speaking in short sentences, using simple words so that your child can successfully imitate you; or repeating what your child says, using correct grammar or pronunciation. For example, if your child says, “Ball baybo” you can respond with, “Yes, the ball is under the table.” This allows you to demonstrate more accurate speech and language without actually “correcting” your child, which can eventually make speaking unpleasant for him or her.

The speech-language pathologist may also recommend group or individual therapy, or suggest further evaluation by other health professionals such as an audiologist or a developmental psychologist.

Speech training is an involved and time-consuming endeavor that can have profound results with consistent treatment. Speech training by a speech pathologist may include helping an individual:

With articulation disorders to learn proper production of speech sounds

With voice disorders to develop proper control of the vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production

Who stutters to cope with the disorders, and to increase the amount of fluent speech

With aphasia to relearn language and speech skills

To understand their disorder and to help the individual achieve more fluent communication in educational, social and vocational settings

Speech and language pathologists typically provide professional services in:

Public and private schools

Hospitals

Rehabilitation centers

Nursing care facilities

Community clinics

College and universities

Private practice

State and local health departments

State and federal government agencies

Centers for developmentally disabled

Research laboratories

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RE:
what are the causes of communication disorders?
what are some teaching strategies for students with communication disorders?

Well if you have time in your busy schudeual of telling children there is not santa clause stealing lollipops and triping the reatarted. then You might want to go watch the special olympics. When the retarted run a race and one of the runners fall they all stop to help him up. On the other hand the unnibomber was a genious who blew people up. Emotion verses Logic. I will pick a balance somewhere in between as do most people. You seem to want to be more like the unibomber. So I say your the one with the mental disorder.

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causes of effective communication