1. Verbal expression disorder (speech language disorder, developmental expressive aphasia)
The number of words used in this disorder is very limited, mistakes are made in grammatical time selection, remembering words or using appropriate lengths according to their development. Findings such as difficulty in forming sentences with complexity are observed. Generally, verbal expression difficulties in children are at a level that impairs school success, professional success or social communication. There is no problem in the intelligence, hearing and social-sensory relations of these children. Understanding the speech of others is at the level expected of their age. It is the most common communication disorder in preschool children.
Oral expression development is delayed in 10-17% of children under the age of 3 years. This condition is more common in boys and there is a genetic predisposition.
2.Mixed language perception-verbal expression disorder
In addition to the symptoms of verbal expression disorder in children, there are difficulties in understanding words, sentences or some concepts. There may also be deficiencies in hearing skills such as distinguishing sounds, recognizing rapid sound changes, combining sounds and symbols, and remembering the sequence of sounds. It is seen at a rate of 3-5% in childhood.
It is generally thought that these two disorders are the continuation of each other. According to this view; It is suggested that verbal expression disorder shares similar basic problems with mixed language perception-verbal expression disorder, but is a less severe form. Sometimes the term ‘specific language disorder’ is used instead of these two disorders.
3.Phonological disorder (articulation disorder)
Children’s inability to produce speech sounds appropriate for their age and dialect, developmentally expected (eg, inability to make the R sound), saying another sound instead of one sound (eg. Situations such as saying the t sound instead of k) and the inability to pronounce the final consonant are called phonological disorders. Generally, difficulties with making speech sounds are at a level that impairs school success, professional success, or social communication. The most frequently made wrong sounds in phonological disorder are ‘ı,r,s,z,t,ç’. The severity of the phonological disorder may gradually decrease or completely resolve until the age of 8-9 years.
4. Stuttering
Stuttering, stuttering, repetition of a word or sound, prolonging the sound, pauses that disrupt the rhythmic flow of speech, exclamation, fragmentation of words (e.g. breaks within a word) It can be defined as audible or silent blocks (filled or unfilled pauses in speaking), detour (using other words to avoid problematic words), saying words with excessive physical tension.
It usually begins at the age of 2-7 years and is 4-5 times more common in males. The lifetime incidence is 5%, and the chronicity rate is between 0.5-1%. Stuttering is a genetic disorder like many mental disorders. Its occurrence in adults is usually attributed to a neurological cause such as head trauma, cerebrovascular accident, and brain tumor. In scientific studies, the presence of psychosocial stress has been determined at a rate of 40-70% before the onset of stuttering. The Turkish idiom ‘he swallowed his tongue out of fear’ describes this situation quite well. It has been reported that the treatment period is short and the outcome is mostly satisfactory in stuttering that starts at a young age, and approximately 4/5 of them recover spontaneously during adolescence.
The course of stuttering is quite promising. By age 16, 75-80% will recover. 75% of this improvement heals by age 4, 50% of the rest by age 6, and 25% of the rest by age 10. The recovery rate is more common in girls than boys. Complete recovery after puberty (after 21-22 years) is rare.
The most common causes of speech delay in children
1. Psychosocial deprivation, exposure to maltreatment
2. Intellectual disability: These children have problems with both receptive and expressive language. Language acquisition is slower as the intelligence level decreases.
3. Hearing reduction/loss: Both receptive and expressive language problems are seen.
4.Maturational (developmental) language delay
5.Verbal expression disorder
6.Mixed language perception-verbal expression disorder
7.Multiple Living in an environment where the spoken language is (bilingualism): Although these children have a delay in speech, they can generally use both languages before the age of 5.
8. Autism and other pervasive developmental disorders
9. Selective mutism (selective mutism)
10. Neurological factors such as cerebral palsy
WITH COMMUNICATION DISORDERS COMBINED MENTAL PROBLEMS
These children often have reading difficulties and other learning difficulties (written expression disorder, math disorder) during the school period. In addition to these, anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, low self-esteem, and poor friendships can be seen. Psychic comorbidity is most common in receptive language disorders (60-80%).
