SPEECH LANGUAGE DEFINITIONS - Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center

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Accent Reduction

Apraxia of Speech

Articulation/Speech
Sound Deficits

Assistive/Augmentative
Communication

Aural Rehabilitation

Autism Spectrum
Disorders

Cleft Palate and Lip

Fluency Disorders

Language Delays
Disorders

Oral Motor Therapy

Pediatric Feeding and
Swallowing Disorders

Speech Definitions See definitions listed in the left hand column and below:

Accent Reduction
Apraxia of Speech
Articulation/Speech Sound Deficits
Assistive/Augmentative Communication
Aural Rehabilitation
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Cleft Palate and Lip
Fluency Disorders
Language Delays and Disorders
Oral Motor Therapy
Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders

Accent Reduction

Accents reflect the unique characteristics and background of a person. Many people take great pride in their accents. However, some people may have difficulty communicating because of their accent. These difficulties include the following

People not understanding you

Avoiding social interaction with those who may not understand you

Frustration from having to repeat yourself all the time

People focusing on your accent more than on what you are trying to say

These types of communication problems may have negative effects on job performance, educational advancement, and everyday life activities. It may also negatively affect your self-esteem if you are having trouble communicating because of an accent. For all of these reasons, some people want to modify or change their accent.

Apraxia of Speech

Apraxia is a general term. It can cause problems in parts of the body, such as arms and legs. Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder. It is caused by damage to the parts of the brain related to speaking. Other terms include apraxia of speech, acquired apraxia of speech, verbal apraxia, and dyspraxia. People with apraxia of speech have trouble sequencing the sounds in syllables and words. The severity depends on the nature of the brain damage.

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. Children with CAS have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. This is not because of muscle weakness or paralysis. The brain has problems planning to move the body parts (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue) needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words.

Articulation/Speech Sound Deficits

An articulation disorder involves problems making sounds. Sounds can be substituted, left off, added or changed. These errors may make it hard for people to understand you.

Young children often make speech errors. For instance, many young children sound like they are making a "w" sound for an "r" sound (e.g., "wabbit" for "rabbit") or may leave sounds out of words, such as "nana" for "banana." The child may have an articulation disorder if these errors continue past the expected age.

Assistive/Augmentative Communication

Augmentative Communication refers to multiple interventions for individuals with severe communication disorders in attempts to compensate for their impairment. Components of AAC systems include; symbols, aids (such as computers, electronic devices, or a communication book), strategies, and techniques.

Aural Rehabilitation

Educational procedure used with hearing impaired persons to improve the effectiveness of their overall communication ability.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.