21 disabilities under RPWD 2016 – Speech and Language disability

Today we will talk about the Speech and Language disability, one of the 21 disabilities covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016

Speech and Language disability is related to speech and language skills that form a very important part of communication.

There are different types of speech disorders such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, voice impairment and these have an impact on the language and communication abilities of affected people.

Children with speech disorders are not able to communicate with others and this affects their academic and social life. The disorders can lead to lower self-confidence and children may have to face bullying and extra peer pressure causing more psychological damage.

“Language impairments may include trouble with syntax, vocabulary and phonological awareness. Children may have difficulty in both expressing and understanding language” says Padma Shastry, Founder-Director, Samam Vidya

The sound we make and the words we say are Speech. People with speech disorder may have the following issues:

– not say sounds clearly

– have a hoarse or raspy, unclear voice

– repeat sounds or pause when speaking, called stuttering

Language is the words we use to communicate. A person with a language disorder may have the below problems:

– understanding what others are saying

– talking to others

– reading a language

– writing a language

The symptoms appear at an early age and can be diagnosed when the children are young with the help of speech experts. Early intervention and detection can led to timely therapy and treatment in many cases enables the children to overcome the disorders.

However, in many instances, teachers and parents fail to identify the issue and thus delay the treatment or miss it completely. Children have certain speech and milestones that they are expected to reach as per their age.

In case of Speech and Language disabilities, these milestones are not reached on time indicating an underlying problem that needs to be looked into.

Here is what an expert therapist has to say about speech disabilities.

Now a days it has been that speech and language disorders in children are increasing due to lack of parental participation in communication with them. Working parents, nuclear families can cause delay in acquiring age appropriate speech and language skills. Saugandh Pratap Singh is an Audiologist & Speech Therapist associated with Praangan.

The disorders are caused due to variety of reasons such as genetic, injury, environmental causes, neurological disorders, stroke and more.
While some speech disorders can be cured overtime through treatment and therapy others are permanent.

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