Language disorders may result from or be associated with a number of conditions. Among the most common, all of which we treat at Lahey Clinic, are the following:
- Aphasia, or the loss of the ability to speak or write as well as to understand spoken or written language, resulting from disease or injury to the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often as the result of a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor or dementia. Aphasia may present itself with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia, which also result from brain damage.
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is the inability to control behavior or focus on a given task, accompanied by inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity.
- Autism, a neurological disorder that usually begins in early childhood and persists throughout adulthood, affects three critical areas of development: communication, social interaction and play. Autism is the most common of a group of conditions called pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). The first signs of autism are usually noticed by the age of 3. Autistic individuals live a normal life span, but most require lifelong care and supervision.
- Developmental delays refer to delays in reaching certain milestones in early childhood development.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is sudden physical damage to the brain. The major causes of head trauma include motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, violent crimes and child abuse. The specific physical, behavioral or mental changes that may result from head trauma are dependent upon the areas of the brain that are injured. The frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which house the major speech and language areas, are often affected by TBI.
