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COMMUNICATION DISORDERS IN ADULTSBy Radhika Pooviah
Communication disorder is very common. There is help available
andmost of these disorders can be successfully treated. Radhika
Pooviah(Speech Language Pathologist) talks about some of the
commondisorders in adults.
STUTTERING / STAMMERING:As an adult, it is not enough that we
have a good vocabulary, can produce allspeech sounds, we also
require fluency in our speech. Disfluent speech can bedeterrent in
communication.
Stuttering (stammering) is a common fluency disorder seen in
adults.Stuttering is characterized by part word repetition, (mmmy
bike) whole wordrepetition (I want, I WANT, I WANT TO go out)
Prolongation of sounds (th th th thisis my bike) or Silent struggle
to say a word, sound/syllable interjections (um-yesum-we can get
it).
Some people with stuttering also show a lot of other symptoms
like facialgrimaces, excessive muscular tension in an effort to
speak etc.Stuttering is a very complex disorder and no two people
have the samesymptoms. Extensive research into the cause of
stuttering has not lead to aconclusion. However, research has lead
to a good understanding of the disorder.We now know, What are the
factors that aggravate stuttering? What helps reduceit? Treatment
of Stuttering has also generated a lot of interest
amongprofessionals. It is best to see a speech pathologist, as they
are specially trainedto deal with baffling speech disorder.
At the institute a 10-day treatment programs offered to adults
who stutter.
VOICE PROBLEM:Voice is basic to communication, without voice
there can be no verbalcommunication. Only certain voice disorder
like a complete loss of voice cause animpediment in communication.
Nevertheless a voice disorder like a hoarse,breathy or harsh voice
does cause a lot of personal, social and medical problemfor the
person who has it. Some professionals like teachers, salesmen,
andentertainers depend on their voice for their job. Without the
ability to sustain apleasant voice day after day, they would loose
their jobs. Unfortunately, it is thisvery demand on the voice that
poses the greatest threat to a healthy voice.
Voice disorders can result due to a problem in any of the
followingaspect of voice-PITCH; LOUDNESS; QUALITY
PROBLEM RELATED TO PITCH:1)Puberphonia: Men have low pitch
voices and women have high pitch voices.Puberphonia is a common
voice problem seen when a man speaks in a femininevoice. During
puberty, the voice of boys drops to a low pitch. Generally
thistransition is smooth but in some cases, the high pitch voice
remains.This problem can be successfully corrected with voice
therapy within duration of15 days.
PROBLEM RELATED TO LOUDNESS:Very few people seek professional
help for a loudness problem. Generally peopleseek help for a voice
that is too soft. Most case of inadequate or excessiveloudness can
be treated easily in a few sessions of voice therapy.
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PROBLEM RELATED TO QUALITY:Three major voice quality problems
are harshness, breathiness and hoarseness.All these problem result
due a malfunctioning of the vocal cords.We all experiencetemporary
hoarseness of voice following throat infection. Excessive
talking,singing say after a picnic can also result in temporary
hoarseness of voice.It is very important to remember that
persistent hoarseness should not be
neglected. An ENT doctor should be consulted and he looks after
the medicalangle of the problem. After medical treatment if
hoarseness persist voice therapyis recommended. Voice therapy helps
in optional use of voice and is especiallyuseful for people whose
profession demands a lot of talking.
APHONIA:Aphonia refers to a complete loss of voice. It can occur
if the voice box (Larynx) isdamaged as if an accident. It can also
due to stress and anxiety, vocal abuse.Voice therapy aims in
correcting the vocal cord functioning and restoring it
tonormalcy.
LARYNGECTOMY:
Treatment of cancer of the voice box (larynx) entails the
surgical removal of thelarynx. This is very traumatic for a person
as he looses his voice permanently.Rehabilitation of such cases is
done by a speech pathologist. Voice therapy isgeared towards
teaching alternate methods of voice production.
DYSARTHRIA:Slurring of speech can occur consequent to a
neurological impairment. Speechtherapy helps in improving the
clarity of speech.
LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN ADULT:The main language disorder in adult
is called Asphasia. An adult can loose his/ herability to speak
consequent to a brain injury or a stroke. Different areas of
thebrain are responsible for different aspects of communication.
The area responsible
of speaking is different from the area responsible for
understanding spokenlanguage. Hence, selective damage to one area
can cause a damage only in oneaspect of communication be it the
ability to speak or comprehension. If thedamage is extensive it can
result in loss of many respects of communication.Family members at
first find it difficult to understand this selective impairment.
Astroke may also cause a paralysis of one side of the body.
Generally asphasiaoccurs with a paralysis of the right side of the
body.
Intensive speech-language therapy is crucial for a person who
has asphasia. Sincespeech-language pathologists have a clear
understanding of this disorder, theyare invaluable in helping the
patient and the family to cope with this traumaticdisorder.
ALZHEIMER DISEASE / PARKINSON DISEASE:These neurological
disorders result in some speech language problems too.Speech
language therapy helps manage all the communication problems.
Radhika Pooviah is a Speech and Language pathologist practicing
in Dr. ChandraShekhar Institute of Speech and Hearing- for more
details about the institute logon to www.speechear.org
http://www.speechear.org/http://www.speechear.org/
