speech impairment
Trouble producing words
A speech impairment is any condition that affects a person's ability to produce speech sounds clearly or fluently.
This includes stuttering, lisping, slurred speech, and difficulties from conditions like cerebral palsy or stroke.
The term is clinical and neutral, preferred over older words like "speech defect": The school provides services for children with speech impairments.
Clear vocal expression
- motor controlRegulation of bodily movement
- muscle weaknessReduced contractile capacity
- intelligibilityQuality of being understood
- phonationVocal fold vibration
resonance · neurological · cerebral palsy · Parkinson's disease · multiple sclerosis · ALS · stroke · brain injury
Speech-controlling brain region
- anomiaInability to recall words
- expressiveShowing feelings outwardly
- receptiveOpen to input
- word-findingAccessing stored vocabulary
comprehension · stroke · brain injury · neurology · language · communication · circumlocution · jargon
Involuntary speech repetition
- disfluencyInterruption in speech flow
- blocksObstructs or sections
- repetitionAct of redoing
- prolongationAct of extending duration
hesitation · fluency · syllables · tension · pauses · breath control · interruption · struggle
Treatment for speaking disorders
- assistive technologyDisability-compensating devices and software
- communication boardTool for wordless conversation
- sign languageVisual-gestural communication system
- early interventionPrompt response to emerging problems
IEP · accommodation · telepractice · home exercises · carryover
Speech impediment with sibilants
- misarticulationIncorrect sound production
- phonologicalOf speech sound patterns
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- substitutionExchange of one for another
distortion · omission · sibilants · interdental · phonetic · enunciation · intelligibility · developmental
Displeasure from blocked efforts
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
- isolationComplete separation from others
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
helplessness · stigma · bullying · avoidance · confidence · self-esteem · social withdrawal · discrimination
articulation
Clear vocal expression
- motor controlRegulation of bodily movement
- muscle weaknessReduced contractile capacity
- intelligibilityQuality of being understood
phonation · resonance · neurological · cerebral palsy · Parkinson's disease · multiple sclerosis · ALS · stroke · brain injury · drooling
Broca's
Speech-controlling brain region
- anomiaInability to recall words
- expressiveShowing feelings outwardly
- receptiveOpen to input
word-finding · comprehension · stroke · brain injury · neurology · language · communication · circumlocution · jargon · reading difficulty
stammering
Involuntary speech repetition
- disfluencyInterruption in speech flow
- blocksObstructs or sections
- repetitionAct of redoing
prolongation · hesitation · fluency · syllables · tension · pauses · breath control · interruption · struggle · spasms
voice therapy
Treatment for speaking disorders
- assistive technologyDisability-compensating devices and software
- communication boardTool for wordless conversation
- sign languageVisual-gestural communication system
early intervention · IEP · accommodation · telepractice · home exercises · carryover
lisping
Speech impediment with sibilants
- misarticulationIncorrect sound production
- phonologicalOf speech sound patterns
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
substitution · distortion · omission · sibilants · interdental · phonetic · enunciation · intelligibility · developmental · childhood
frustration
Displeasure from blocked efforts
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
- isolationComplete separation from others
anxiety · helplessness · stigma · bullying · avoidance · confidence · self-esteem · social withdrawal · discrimination · resilience
- impairmentsdisability, paralysis, incapacity, blindness, deafness
- disabilitydisability rights, disability culture, disability activism, disability services, disability identity
- Disabilitiesblind, paralysis, vision loss, developmental disability, amputees
- neurological symptomsnumbness, tremor, paralysis, aphasia, ataxia
- weaknessesweakness, flaw, failing, defect, shortcoming
- special educationspecial education, special ed, special needs, IEP, IEPs
speech impairmentclear speech
Understandable spoken language
verbal fluency · eloquence · effective communication · oratory · silver tongue
speech, speechless, speaking, impair, impaired, impairment, unimpaired, speechlessness