Understanding “What communication disorders impact adults?” could help a person in their career planning or in the type of work that they already do with adults who have a disability or chronic medical condition. Communication disorders can begin in childhood and persist throughout adulthood, or they can start in the adult years of life. Becoming familiar with several of the common adulthood disorders of communication is a good starting point for many professionals.
Related Resource: Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs
Stuttering
Stuttering is a common speech problem that often begins during childhood, but it can also start during adulthood. For an adult, a traumatic event or severe injury could trigger stuttering. Some adults may only stutter under certain circumstances, such as when talking about a past trauma or when they are talking to a stranger and feel uncertain or nervous.
Aphasia
Aphasia is an inability to use words and understand the words of others. It is often a complication of a stroke. A person may not be able to find the word that they want to use. For example, they might forget the word for “oven” and call it a “hot food box.” A person with aphasia may not understand grammar when others are speaking. They might confuse a question with a statement or a question with being yelled at. A person with aphasia may not be able to follow a simple conversation or respond appropriately to a question.
Apraxia
Apraxia is a difficulty with starting the movements that are necessary for speech. This could happen after a severe concussion, stroke or another type of traumatic brain injury. Brain cancer or a benign growth could also cause this condition. The condition is also related to an inability to move the lips or tongue for forming words. This could happen with genetic conditions of the facial muscles and nerves, such as cerebral palsy. A person with apraxia may not be able to make the type of sound they want to form. Some people can make some sounds but not others. For example, a person may be able to make “b” and “d” sounds, but they might have trouble with “th” sounds. Apraxia can also cause difficulty with the rate or speed of speech. A person might be very slow to form the full word.
Vocal Cord Paralysis
According to the Mayo Clinic, vocal cord paralysis happens when the nerves leading to the vocal cords no longer transmit communications from the brain. In most cases, one of the two vocal cords has paralysis. People with this condition may have a breathy voice, a loss of vocal pitch, and an inability to speak in more than a whisper. The condition often results from viral infections or cancer that damage the vocal cord nerves. A surgery-related injury for tonsils or nearby structures could also damage the vocal cord nerves.
There are many causes to disordered communications that develop during adulthood. Many different types of professionals work with adults who have these disorders and help them make use of technology and other tools in order to improve their ability to communicate with others. Knowing, “What communication disorders impact adults?” could help a person decide if a career path in the areas of speech and language pathology or related fields could be the right choice for them.