Best Texas Speech Therapists

Stuttering
Stuttering is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is interrupted by: Repetition or prolongation of sounds, words, or syllablesAn inability to begin a word

Down Syndrome
Down syndrome (DS) is a common genetic disorder. It results in birth defects, medical problems, and some degree of Intellectual Disability

Oral-Facial Clefts
An oral-facial cleft is a birth defect. A cleft lip is an opening in the upper lip, usually just below the nose. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth (hard palate) or in the soft tissue at the back of the mouth (soft palate). In the majority of cases, a cleft lip and cleft palate occur together.

Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. These disorders are caused by faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disorder. It gradually destroys the nerves responsible for muscle movement. Over time, ALS leads to total paralysis of muscle movement, including respiration.

Autism
These pages are addressed to the parents of a child who has autism.

Autism is a severe and complex brain disorder that first presents in children who are age three and younger. People with autism have difficulty communicating and forming relationships. They may appear intensely preoccupied by specific, often unusual, interests and activities, and engage in repetitive behaviors. People with autism also show signs of altered sensory input, such as overreacting to particular sounds. They have underdeveloped communication skills, and half of people with autism never learn to speak.

Stroke
Stroke is a brain injury that occurs when the brain's blood supply is interrupted. Without oxygen and nutrients from blood, brain tissue starts to die within minutes, resulting in a sudden loss of function. Another term for stroke is cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

In Her Own Words: Living With Parkinson's Disease


Brain Tumors
A brain tumor occurs when cells grow uncontrollably in the brain. A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells. Normally, cells divide in a regulated manner. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms; this is called a tumor. There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors stay in one place, grow to a certain size, and then (as a general rule) stop. Malignant tumors do not stop growing, and pieces of them travel to other parts of the body, where they also continue to grow. Malignant tumors, called cancers, are nearly all fatal if not treated. Currently, with treatment, about half of all cancers are being cured.

Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a speech disorder. It differs from Aphasia, which is a language disorder.


Dysarthria may arise from problems with the muscles in the mouth, throat, and respiratory system, as well as other causes.
© 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.