In Utah, more than six percent of children will be affected by communication disorders in some capacity, according to a study by the U and the Utah Department of Health
The study targeted a population of 26,315 8-year-olds in Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. Researchers looked for children who were diagnosed specifically with some type of communication disorder. These communication disorders include impairments such as stuttering, articulation and fluency disabilities.
“In educational settings, often, children with communication problems have difficulty reading, writing or communicating in the classroom and being understood in social interactions amongst their peers,” said Judith Pinborough-Zimmerman, a professor in the department of psychiatry. “In some cases, these communication disorders can be corrected with speech pathology, but others may have problems throughout their lives, and still others may have residual problems.”
The study didn’t look into specific reasons for these disorders, but common causes include hearing problems, a lack of mental stimulation and not talking with family while learning language skills, Pinborough-Zimmerman said. Cleft palate and autism are also commonly associated with these disorders. The study also found that boys are twice as likely to have a communication disorder, but the reasons for this are unclear.
The average child between the age of two and three recognizes 40 to 50 words, understands some spatial concepts such as “in” and “on” and can speak in two- to three-word phrases, according to the Speech and Language Clinic at the U.
“If a child has an expressive language delay, children will typically overcome that,” said Janet Goldstein, a clinical instructor in the department of communication sciences and disorders. “But if they have a developmental delay, that may stay with the child throughout their life.”
Pinborough-Zimmerman’s original research focused on autism in Utah and found that 89 percent of children with autism had a communication disorder. The findings led her to conduct this study on communication disorders.
In September of last year, Trevor Del Rio, a 4-year-old patient at the U’s clinic for speech and language disorders, was diagnosed with high-functioning autism. Trevor was also diagnosed with a communication disorder, having trouble with pronouns and struggles asking questions. Graduate students studying speech pathology have worked with the boy to help him ask questions and remember pronouns.
“Before Trevor’s diagnosis, I didn’t really know how to help him,” said Laura Del Rio, Trevor’s mother. “Just with the testing we’ve had done, we’re able to identify what (Trevor’s) needs are, and now instead of guessing on our own, we’ve been able to work with a professional, and they guide us on what we need to be doing with him at home to help him — before, we just guessed and hoped we were helping.”
The findings in Pinborough-Zimmerman’s study indicate a need for more speech pathologists in schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers to help people with these disorders.
Speech pathologists work to correct and improve language with children and adults who have difficulty with articulation, fluency and stuttering. Doctors can diagnose some communication disorders in children who are as young as 12 months, and speech pathology typically begins at the age of two.
“There is a real shortage of speech pathologists, especially in the schools in this state and the nation,” said Bruce Smith, chair of the department of communication sciences and disorders. “It’s a field that’s not as well-known as, say, physical therapy, but it is just as necessary because it helps people born with disabilities or people who develop these communication disorders later in life after an accident or medical problem.”