Speech and Language Impairment

Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761(33) considers a child to have a speech/language impairment when the child's language is affected "... to the extent that it calls attention to itself, it interferes with communication or causes the child to be maladjusted."

Speech and language impairments fall into two major categories. One has to do with the formation and production of speech sounds (articulation). The other has to do with attaching words to objects and ideas then stringing them together in a manner that makes sense (language and syntax).

When events such as illness or accident happen before or after birth, variations and delays can occur which affect speech or language development. Language evolves the same way in all normally developing children. Those stages of development that do not occur on time and in sequence may indicate a problem with learning to communicate.

Speech or language impairment is sometimes present in children who are developmentally delayed or have physical conditions such as cleft palate or vision or hearing losses.

Conditions can develop that affect the manner in which a child processes language (the way the child understands it or produces it).

Some of the conditions which affect articulation can be severe, such as cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, or central nervous system disorders. Others, while considered less serious, need early attention and treatment. Omitting, substituting, or distorting certain sounds in words is one disorder.

Another, lisping, is considered an articulation disorder which occurs when the improper placement of the tongue affects the production of speech sounds. Interrupted speech, or stuttering, is another condition which can be cause for concern if not treated early. Stuttering affects the smooth delivery of spoken language (fluency). It is considered a disability of childhood with onset before the age of six and is more prevalent in boys than in girls. The causes are not known, but are thought to be related to and triggered by specific situations.

Voice disorders are another form of speech problem and are often found in combination with other conditions. Included in this category are irregularities in loudness or pitch and hoarseness.

How Common is a Speech and Language Impairment?
In the 1995-96 school year, 12,166 students were classified as having a speech and language disorder and received special education services. This number represents 1.63 percent of the 747,849 children en-rolled in Arizona public schools.

What Effect Does a Speech and Language Impairment Have on Children?
Since language is essential for learning, early diagnosis and treatment of problems is important. School success relies on the ability of a student and his teacher to communicate and of the student to build peer relationships. Frequently parents are unaware of a problem until a child is screened for entrance to school.

Kindergarten screening measures both expressive and receptive language development. Most screening devices check to see whether a child is developing typical language for his/her age. Because oral language is not regularly included in later academic testing, a child may first be noticed as language impaired when problems appear in academic areas. The problems may be present as difficulty in understanding language, processing meaning, or expressing oneself in words. Such difficulties often affect academic progress.