Communication Deficits in Adults

As Washington DC speech pathologists, we get a lot of questions about what exactly it is that we do.

Many people know that we provide speech therapy for kids.

But what is less commonly known is that we provide adult speech therapy services too!

Common Adult Speech and Language Disorders

Below are some common disorders that we often see in adults:

Stuttering

Is a big one, and an impairment that we treat quite frequently at District Speech.  Stuttering can make communication very difficult and may cause stress, tenseness, and avoidance of speaking. Our clients may get stuck on certain sounds causing repetition of that sound or prolong the sound by stretching it out. Blocking may also occur, which is when one has trouble getting a word out.

Apraxia

Is a motor speech disorder (commonly seen in people who have experienced strokes) where the messages from your brain are not correctly going to the your muscles that produce speech, which is usually caused by brain damage. Our clients will often have difficulty producing sounds correctly.

Dysarthria

Also seen in people who have experienced strokes, is when the muscles used for speech are weak, making it difficult to produce sounds and words. Often one’s speech is less audible and sounds slurred. Weakness in the muscles is typically due to brain damage.

Voice Disorders

There are many different types of voice disorders such as vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold nodules and polyps, and paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM). These have to do with the individual’s voice not meeting their personal needs (e.g., jobs require them to speak loudly).

Speech-Language Pathologists can develop a therapeutic plan based on the client’s communication deficits and specific goals. It is never too late to work with a Speech-Language Pathologist to find the strategies that will improve your communication abilities!

As always, if you are concerned about you’re own communication abilities, please contact us at District Speech. We want to help!