Any disorder that affects communication is an obstacle to living a happy and productive life. Communicating with others is a human need and has an impact on your development. Verbal interaction is arguably the most important form of communication humans have.
What Is a Speech Impediment?
Speech impediments are conditions that impact a person’s ability to communicate clearly through the spoken word. People with speech disorders can have difficulty forming words or creating intelligible sounds. This puts up a communication barrier with other people in their environment.
6 Common Causes of Speech Impediment
Speech impediments can arise from temporary circumstances or from neurological and other health issues. Understanding the different causes will allow you to draw a treatment road map that will lead to improvement or recovery.
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Alcohol or Drug Consumption
Excessive alcohol consumption slows down communication between your brain and your body. Drinking socially may create a temporary lapse in communication. However, alcoholics are in a constant state of slurred speech and are unable to convey their thoughts.
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Lack of Proper Rest
Another behavioral factor that affects communication is the lack of sleep. People that suffer from insomnia or other issues that prevent them from getting proper rest also suffer from speech impediments.
In this category, you can include high levels of stress and anxiety. A lack of rest may intensify anxiety and your body’s reaction to stress and sleeplessness are similar in how they affect speech.
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Severe Headaches
Migraines can create speech problems. The shooting pain from your head can affect how your other senses function. The resulting numbness. dizziness and discomfort also come with a difficulty to put words together productively.
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Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders present challenges to the brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body. The damage may lie with the brain or in the network of nerves that transfer messages throughout the body. Neurological disorders can stem from physical damage done to the nervous system or from degenerative diseases that affect internal communications.
Dental issues are a good example of a physical cause of speech impediments. On the other hand, a tumor or neurological disease can cause the brain or nerves to atrophy and malfunction.
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Mental Health Issues
Autism, while not itself in the category of speech impediments, is a clinical condition that affects speech. Depending on where an individual lies on the spectrum, their ability to communicate will be affected accordingly.
Other conditions such as Down syndrome and dementia often present serious communication challenges for the sufferer and those around them. It’s important to understand that these individuals possess the need and desire to communicate but are limited by their condition.
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Medication
A wide range of pharmaceuticals can cause speech impediments in people that require them for health conditions they’re dealing with. Anything from allergy-related treatments to seizure medication can create speech impediments.
Dealing With Speech Impediments
A speech impediment can have one of several causes. Knowing the cause of the disorder will help you apply the appropriate therapy for the specific impediment. Visiting places like SpeechPathologyGraduatePrograms.org can help you find a solution to dea with speech impediments.