A communication disorder is an inability to understand or use speech and language to relate to others in society. This can be divided into four areas:

• Language - this involves listening, speaking, reading and writing
• Articulation - the pronunciation of sounds and words
• Voice - the sound produced by vibration of the vocal cords
• Stuttering - a disruption in the normal flow or rhythm of speech

Effective communication is fundamental to all aspects of human functioning. However, one out of every ten Canadians has a communication disorder. A communication disorder is a persistent difficulty in the understanding and/or use of spoken or written language. Early detection, identification and treatment of communication disorders is essential. Failure to receive professional help may lead to additional problems in educational, psychological, emotional and/or vocational areas.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS?

The brain is very complex and our understanding of how it works is very limited. For the majority of communication disorders, we do not understand the cause. However, we do have an understanding of how to help many children maximize their speech and language development.

Known causes of communication disorders include:

• Hearing Impairment: Full or partial hearing impairment may cause difficulty in speech and language development. An assessment of hearing ability is one of the first steps in the investigation of speech and language problems.
• Physical Disability: Cleft lip and palate, or malformations of the mouth or nose may cause communication disorders. More involved disabilities such as cerebral palsy may preclude any speech at all and for these non-verbal children, augmentative communication methods may be used.
• Developmental Disability: Some children (not all) with a developmental disability or Down syndrome may be slower to learn to talk and may need extra assistance.

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