glossary of communication disorders glossary of communication disorders this is a glossary of medical terms related to communication disorders which are psychological or medical conditions that could have the potential to affect the ways in which individuals can hear, listen, understand, speak and respond to others. not to be confused with communicable diseases. a acoustic neuroma tumor, usually benign, which may develop on the hearing and balance nerves and can cause gradual hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or dizziness. (sometimes called vestibular schwannoma). also see neurofibromatosis type 2. acquired deafness loss of hearing that occurs or develops some time during the lifespan but is not present at birth. alport syndrome hereditary condition characterized by kidney disease, sensorineural hearing loss, and sometimes eye defects. american sign language (asl) manual language with its own syntax and grammar, used primarily by people who are deaf. aphasia total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand language; usually caused by stroke, brain disease, or injury. aphonia complete loss of voice. apraxia inability to execute a voluntary movement despite being able to demonstrate normal muscle function. articulation disorder inability to correctly produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of imprecise placement, timing, pressure, speed, or flow of movement of the lips, tongue, or throat. assistive devices technical tools and devices such as alphabet boards, text telephones, or text-to-speech conversion software used to aid individuals who have communication disorders perform actions, tasks, and activities. audiologist health care professional who is trained to evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus, and to rehabilitate individuals with hearing loss and related disorders. an audiologist uses a variety of tests and procedures to assess hearing and balance function and to fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive devices for hearing. auditory brainstem response test (abr test) a test for brain functioning in comatose, unresponsive, etc., patients, and for hearing in infants and young children; involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the hearing nerve and other parts of the brain. auditory nerve eighth cranial nerve that connects the inner ear to the brainstem and is responsible for hearing and balance. auditory perception ability to identify, interpret, and attach meaning to sound. auditory prosthesis device that substitutes or enhances the ability to hear. augmentative devices tools that help individuals with limited or absent speech to communicate, such as communication boards, pictographs (symbols that look like the things they represent), or ideographs (symbols representing ideas). aural rehabilitation techniques used with people who are hearing impaired to improve their ability to speak and communicate. autoimmune deafness individual's immune system produces abnormal antibodies that react against the body's healthy tissues. autism can refer to autistic disorder a psychiatric syndrome featuring restricted and repetitive behaviors, and impaired social interaction and communication; or the group of syndromes to which autistic disorder belongs - the autism spectrum disorders. b babbling prelinguistic sound play by infants; characterized by labial consonants(/b/p/m/). balance biological system that enables individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position. normal balance depends on information from the labyrinth in the inner ear, from other senses such as sight and touch, and from muscle movement. balance disorder disruption in the labyrinth, the inner ear organ that controls the balance system, which allows individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment. the labyrinth works with other systems in the body, such as the visual and skeletal systems, to maintain posture. barotrauma injury to the middle ear caused by a reduction of air pressure. benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (bppv) balance disorder that results in sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head. brainstem implant auditory prosthesis that bypasses the cochlea and auditory nerve. this type of implant helps individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear implant because the auditory nerves are not working. c captioning text display of spoken words, presented on a television or a movie screen, that allows a deaf or hard-of-hearing viewer to follow the dialogue and the action of a program simultaneously. central auditory processing disorder inability to differentiate, recognize, or understand sounds; hearing and intelligence are normal. chemosensory disorders diseases or problems associated with the sense of smell or the sense of taste. cholesteatoma accumulation of dead cells in the middle ear, caused by repeated middle ear infections. cochlea snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the organ of hearing. cochlear implant medical device that bypasses damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing some deaf individuals to learn to hear and interpret sounds and speech. cognition thinking skills that include perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect, and imagination. conductive hearing impairment hearing loss caused by dysfunction of the outer or middle ear. cued speech method of communication that combines speech reading with a system of hand-shapes placed near the mouth to help deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals differentiate words that look similar on the lips (e.g., bunch vs. punch) or are hidden (e.g., gag). cytomegalovirus (congenital) one group of herpes viruses that infects humans and can cause a variety of clinical symptoms, including deafness or hearing impairment; infection with the virus may be either before or after birth. d decibel unit that measures the intensity or loudness of sound. developmental verbal dyspraxia in individuals with normal muscle tone and speech muscle coordination, partial loss of the ability to consistently pronounce words. dizziness physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and lightheadedness associated with balance disorders. dysarthria group of speech disorders caused by disturbances in the strength or coordination of the muscles of the speech mechanism as a result of damage to the brain or nerves. dysequilibrium any disturbance of balance. dysfluency disruption in the smooth flow or expression of speech. dysgeusia distortion or absence of the sense of taste. dyslexia learning disability characterized by reading difficulties. some individuals may also have difficulty writing, spelling, or working with numbers. dysosmia distortion or absence of the sense of smell. dysphagia difficulty swallowing. dysphonia any impairment of the voice or speaking ability. dystonia abnormal muscle tone of one or more muscles. e ear infection presence and growth of bacteria or viruses in the ear. earwax yellow secretion from glands in the outer ear (cerumen) that keeps the skin of the ear dry and protected from infection. echolalia repeating what one has already said or heard; often associated with autism spectrum disorder. endolymph fluid in the labyrinth (the organ of balance located in the inner ear that consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule). g grammar system of rules used by speakers of a language to produce and understand spoken language. gustation act or sensation of tasting. glaucoma disease related to eyes due to increase in iop(intraorbicular pressure) h hair cells sensory cells of the inner ear, which are topped with hair-like structures, the stereocilia, and which transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve impulses. haptic sense sense of physical contact or touch. haptometer instrument for measuring sensitivity to touch. hearing series of events in which sound waves in the air are converted to electrical signals, which are sent as nerve impulses to the brain, where they are interpreted. hearing aid electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear. a hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier, and receiver. hearing disorder disruption in the normal hearing process that may occur in outer, middle, or inner ear, whereby sound waves are not conducted to the inner ear, converted to electrical signals and/or nerve impulses are not transmitted to the brain to be interpreted. hereditary hearing impairment hearing loss passed down through generations of a family. hoarseness abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused by vocal abuse and other disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux, thyroid problems, or trauma to the larynx (voice box). hyper neurotic diafragma contractions the hiccups hypogeusia diminished sensitivity to taste. hyposmia diminished sensitivity to smell. i inflection alterations in the pitch and prosody of spoken language to convey meaning. inner ear part of the ear that contains both the organ of hearing (the cochlea) and the organ of balance (the labyrinth). intensity refers to the energy flow per unit area (audiology). k kallmann's syndrome disorder that can include several characteristics such as absence of the sense of smell and decreased functional activity of the gonads (organs that produce sex cells), affecting growth and sexual development. l labyrinth organ of balance located in the inner ear. the labyrinth consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule. labyrinthine hydrops excessive fluid in the organ of balance (labyrinth); can cause pressure or fullness in the ears, hearing loss, dizziness, and loss of balance. labyrinthitis viral or bacterial infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause dizziness, loss of balance, and temporary hearing loss. landau-kleffner syndrome childhood disorder of unknown origin which often extends into adulthood and can be identified by gradual or sudden loss of the ability to understand and use spoken language. language system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs, or marks. language disorders any of a number of problems with verbal communication and the ability to use or understand a symbol system for communication. laryngeal neoplasms abnormal growths in the larynx (voice box) that can be cancerous or noncancerous. laryngeal nodules noncancerous, callous-like growths on the inner parts of the vocal folds (vocal cords); usually caused by vocal abuse or misuse. laryngeal paralysis loss of function or feeling of one or both of the vocal folds caused by injury or disease to the nerves of the larynx. laryngectomy surgery to remove part or all of the larynx (voice box). laryngitis hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords). laryngoplasty laryngeal framework surgery of a paralysed vocal cord to help strengthen the voice - a window in the thyroid cartilage is created and an implant is inserted into the para-glottic space via an open approach. larynx valve structure between the trachea (windpipe) and the pharynx (the upper throat) that is the primary organ of voice production. learning disabilities childhood disorders characterized by difficulty with certain skills such as reading or writing in individuals with normal intelligence. m mastoid back portion of the temporal bone that contains the inner ear. mastoid surgery surgical procedure to remove infection from the mastoid bone. meige syndrome movement disorder that can involve excessive eye blinking (blepharospasm) with involuntary movements of the jaw muscles, lips, and tongue (oromandibular dystonia). ménière's disease inner ear disorder that can affect both hearing and balance. it can cause episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and the sensation of fullness in the ear. meningitis inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that envelop the brain and the spinal cord; may cause hearing loss or deafness. middle ear part of the ear that includes the eardrum and three tiny bones of the middle ear, ending at the round window that leads to the inner ear. misarticulation innacurately produced speech sound (phoneme) or sounds. motor speech disorders group of disorders caused by the inability to accurately produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of muscle weakness or incoordination or difficulty performing voluntary muscle movements. n neuroplasticity ability of the brain and/or certain parts of the nervous system to adapt to new conditions, such as an injury. neural prostheses devices that substitute for an injured or diseased part of the nervous system, such as the cochlear implant. neural stimulation to activate or energize a nerve through an external source. neurofibromatosis type 1 (nf-1 von recklinghausen's) group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that may include the hearing nerve. the symptoms of nf-1 include coffee-colored spots on the skin, enlargement, deformation of bones, and neurofibromas. neurofibromatosis type 2 (nf-2) group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that usually include the hearing nerve. the symptoms of nf-2 include tumors on the hearing nerve which can affect hearing and balance. nf-2 may occur in the teenage years with hearing loss. also see acoustic neurinoma. neurogenic communication disorder inability to exchange information with others because of hearing, speech, and/or language problems caused by impairment of the nervous system (brain or nerves). noise-induced hearing loss hearing loss caused by exposure to harmful sounds, either very