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6.3: Prevalence and Causes of Communcation Disorders

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    Among students receiving special education services, 19% are identified as having a speech or language impairment (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). Communication disorders may be caused by congenital conditions (e.g., Down syndrome) or acquired after birth (e.g., traumatic brain injury). In addition, communication disorders are also classified as organic or functional. Organic communication disorders result from an abnormal structure or neuromuscular malfunction in the speech organs (e.g., cleft palate). Functional communication disorders have no organic cause but are presumed to result from environmental risk factors. Determining the cause of a functional communication disorder is difficult. However, environmental risk factors include lack of adequate prenatal care, living in poverty, lack of stimulation during childhood, and hearing loss. Recent research indicates that genetics may also be a risk factor for developing a communication disorder (Flax et al., 2003; Smiley et al., 2022).

    National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Students with disabilities. Condition of education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved August 30, 2022, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgg.

    Flax, J., Realpe-Bonilla, T., Herschm, L.S., Brzustowic, L.M., Bartlett, C., & Tallal, P. (2003). Specific language impairment: Co-occurrence in families. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 46(3), 530–543.

    Smiley, L. R., Richards, S.B., & Taylor, R. (2022). Exceptional students: Preparing teachers for the 21st century (4th ed.). McGraw Hill.

    This page titled 6.3: Prevalence and Causes of Communcation Disorders is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Diana Zaleski (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI)) .