Many disorders can affect our ability to speak and communicate. They range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. Causes include - Hearing disorders and deafness - Voice problems, such as dysphonia or those caused by cleft lip or palate - Speech problems like stuttering - Developmental disabilities - Learning disorders - Autism spectrum disorder - Brain injury - Stroke Some speech and communication problems may be genetic. Often, no one knows the causes. By first grade, about 5 percent of children have noticeable speech disorders. Speech and language therapy can help. NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
What is (are) Speech and Communication Disorders ?