Aphasia
Aphasia is a disorder that makes it difficult for you to read, write and speak. What Causes Aphasia? Aphasia occurs when the part of the brain that controls language is damaged, frequently as a result of a stroke or head injury. Other causes include brain tumors, infections and degenerative diseases. Damage to the left side…
Auditory Verbal Therapy
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a hearing loss treatment for children typically used in conjunction with a hearing aid. The goal of AVT is for the child to learn how to interact seamlessly in the hearing world by practicing speech and language comprehension skills. The child is taught that hearing is an active sense; this…
Language Disorders
Language disorders aren’t confined to children. Adults may experience problems as well, usually the result of either a disorder they’ve had since childhood or a newly acquired disorder related to disease or trauma. The latter scenario is often accompanied by a loss of function in other areas and poses a threat to a person’s health and quality of life. What…
Speech Audiometry
Speech audiometry is a very basic way to test for hearing loss – but it plays an extremely important role in your complete hearing evaluation. Unlike other hearing tests, which measure a patient’s hearing abilities, speech audiometry measures a patient’s comprehension abilities. Audiologists often use speech audiometry in conjunction with other tests during a hearing loss evaluation. Speech…
Speech Delay
As children grow, there are certain milestones parents look forward to, such as crawling, walking and speaking. By their first birthday, most children know a word or two; at 18 months, their vocabulary should consist of five to 20 words and include simple two-word sentences. But these are rough guidelines. Every child progresses at a different…
Speech Sound Disorders
A speech sound disorder occurs when a person has difficulty producing speech sounds, affecting his or her ability to communicate. Children often make mistakes as their vocabulary grows, but a speech sound disorder occurs past the age at which they are expected to know how to make the correct sounds. Sometimes, speech sound disorders continue…
Speech Therapy
Speech disorders occur when a patient (typically a child) has trouble producing certain sounds. They can be broken down into different categories depending on the nature of the problem. Speech disorders include: Articulation disorders. The patient has trouble with certain syllables or pronounces words incorrectly to such an extent that it is extremely difficult to understand what is…
Swallowing Disorders
When you swallow, you are chewing food and moving it to the esophagus, a tube that connects to the stomach. Dysphagia, the medical term for difficulty swallowing, is characterized by the sensation of food or liquid getting stuck in the throat or chest. There are numerous factors that can cause swallowing difficulty, most of them…
Voice Disorders
Keeping your voice healthy will ensure you are able to communicate properly, and for some people who rely on it to earn a living – singers, teachers and lawyers, for instance – good voice health is essential. These same individuals tend to put more strain on their vocal cords. Even those whose professions don’t require…