Glossary

Hyperkinetic dysarthria is a speech disorder caused by involuntary movements that disrupt the rhythm and clarity of speech.

Excessive nasal resonance during speech caused by inadequate closure of the velopharyngeal port (soft palate area), resulting in a nasal-sounding voice when speaking.

Hypokinetic dysarthria is characterized by reduced vocal loudness and monotonous, slurred speech, commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease.

A nasal resonance disorder in which insufficient sound enters the nasal cavity during speech (often due to nasal or sinus blockage), giving the voice a muffled or “stuffy nose” quality.

Global standardized terminology and definitions for texture-modified foods and thickened liquids.

The practice of integrating individuals with disabilities into general education or community settings.

A speech sound disorder in which a child’s pronunciation of the same word changes from attempt to attempt, resulting in highly variable and unpredictable speech errors.

A written educational plan developed for a public school student with a qualifying disability, describing the student’s present abilities, specific learning goals, and the special education services and supports the school will provide to meet those goals.

Intellectual disability (ID) is a developmental condition characterized by significantly below-average intellectual functioning and deficits in adaptive behaviors that emerge before age 18.

Intelligibility is the clarity of speech as perceived by a listener. SLPs aim to increase intelligibility in clients with speech sound or motor speech disorders.

A planned program or strategy designed to address specific speech, language, or communication needs.

A feeding tube surgically placed directly into the jejunum (middle section of the small intestine), bypassing the stomach to provide nutrition, hydration, and medication.

Joint attention is the process by which two people deliberately attend to the same thing and acknowledge that shared focus, usually by means of eye contact, pointing, or other cues in order to share an experience.

A K-W-L chart is a three-column graphic organizer for learning that prompts individuals to list what they Know, what they Want to know, and what they have Learned about a subject.

Key word signing is an augmentative communication method where a speaker uses sign language gestures for crucial words in a sentence while speaking, to highlight meaning and support the listener’s comprehension.

A kinesthetic cue is a self-performed physical movement used as a signal or reminder to help execute a targeted skill or behavior (for instance, using a gesture or action to prompt correct speech production).

Kinetic learning is a mode of education where learning takes place through physical activities and hands-on experiences, emphasizing movement and doing as the primary way to absorb and retain information.‍

Language acquisition is the process by which humans (especially infants and children) gain the ability to perceive, comprehend, and produce language, developing communication skills naturally through interaction and exposure rather than explicit teaching.

A developmental delay in a child's ability to acquire language compared to peers, often addressed in early intervention.

Language development is the ongoing process by which a person’s understanding and use of language become more advanced and sophisticated with age, following typical milestones from the first sounds and words of infancy to the complex sentences and social communication of later childhood.

A language disorder is an impairment in the comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, or symbolic language that affects semantics, syntax, morphology, or pragmatics. It may be developmental or acquired and can impact both expressive and receptive language across modalities.

Laryngectomy is the surgical removal of the larynx, an operation that results in breathing through a neck stoma and the loss of the natural voice, thereby requiring alternative means of speech.

The larynx is the anatomical structure in the neck (voice box) that contains the vocal cords and is responsible for voice production, air passage to the lungs, and airway protection during swallowing.

LLE is a delay in early word use and sentence development. SLPs monitor and support children to reduce long-term language risks.

A lateral lisp is a speech error where sibilants are produced with side airflow, creating a distorted, slushy sound. It typically requires therapy, as it does not resolve developmentally.

The Lidcombe Program is a parent-administered therapy for preschool children who stutter, guided by a speech-language pathologist. Parents give positive feedback for smooth speech and gentle correction for stuttering, leading to long-term fluency gains.

“Lisp” is a lay term for a type of speech distortion affecting the sibilant sounds (typically /s/ and /z/). A person with a lisp produces these sounds with abnormal tongue placement or airflow, often resulting in a “th” sound (interdental lisp) or a lateral slurring quality (lateral lisp) instead of a clear /s/ or /z/.

The ability to understand spoken language, often a focus in auditory processing and language therapy.

The ability to read and write, frequently addressed in speech-language pathology to support academic success.

Logorrhea is an excessive, uncontrolled verbosity in speech – essentially extreme talkativeness that is often rapid and incoherent.

Loudness is how loud or soft a voice is perceived based on vocal intensity.

A radiographic evaluation of swallowing in which a patient swallows barium-coated materials so that an SLP and radiologist can visualize and assess the physiology of swallowing and risks of aspiration.

Average number of morphemes or words per utterance, used to measure language development.

Malnutrition is a condition of nutrient deficiency that can impair growth and function.

Malocclusion is a misalignment of the teeth or jaws (like crooked teeth, overbite, or underbite) that can alter the shape of the oral cavity. It may contribute to speech errors such as lisps, and treatment typically involves braces and speech therapy to improve clarity.

Mixed dysarthria involves a combination of motor speech impairments from multiple neurological lesions affecting various systems.

Mixed language disorders involve impairments in both receptive and expressive language skills across vocabulary, grammar, and pragmatics. These disorders may be developmental or acquired and often require long-term, individualized intervention by SLPs.

Morphology is the study of the structure of words and how they are formed from smaller meaning-bearing units called morphemes. It examines how prefixes, suffixes, roots, and grammatical inflections combine to create words and convey meaning (e.g., understanding that “un-,” “happy,” and “-ness” form “unhappiness”).

Motility dysfunction involves abnormal muscular movement in the esophagus or pharynx that impairs bolus transit during swallowing.

Speech impairments resulting from damage to the brain or nerves controlling speech muscles, such as apraxia or dysarthria.

Communicating through a combination of different modalities – such as speech, gestures, signs, writing, or communication devices – rather than relying on only one method.

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system that can impair motor control, including speech and swallowing.

An inability or unwillingness to speak, resulting in little or no verbal output (as seen, for example, in selective mutism or in certain neurological conditions affecting speech initiation).

Latin "Nil Per Os" meaning nothing by mouth; a medical order restricting oral intake for safety.

The capacity to tell or retell stories and events in an organized, logical manner, including the use of appropriate story elements and language structures.

An abnormal release of airflow through the nose during the production of oral speech sounds (usually due to velopharyngeal dysfunction), resulting in a snorting or hissing sound and reduced oral pressure.

Nasal regurgitation is when food or liquid flows into the nose during swallowing due to incomplete closure between the mouth and nasal cavity. It commonly occurs in cleft palate or velopharyngeal dysfunction and may require surgery or therapy for resolution.

A therapy approach that incorporates learning opportunities into a client’s natural environment and daily routines.

The natural variation in human brain function and behavioral traits, recognizing that neurological differences are normal variations of human development rather than deficits to be fixed.

Neurogenic stuttering is acquired stuttering following neurological injury, characterized by dysfluencies across word types without adaptation effects.

A neurological disorder is a condition involving dysfunction or damage to the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves, leading to motor, sensory, or cognitive impairments. These disorders can be congenital, acquired, or progressive and often impact speech, language, and swallowing.

Neuromuscular diseases are disorders that impact the nerves and muscles, often leading to weakness or dysfunction in movement and coordination. These conditions can significantly affect speech production and swallowing abilities due to impaired control of the muscles involved.

Omissions (also called deletions) are speech errors where a required sound is left out entirely. An example is saying “ca” for “cat,” omitting the final /t/ sound.

A motor planning impairment in which a person cannot easily execute purposeful, non-speech movements of the lips, tongue, and mouth on command (despite adequate strength), such as difficulty sticking out the tongue or whistling voluntarily.

A structured assessment of the structure and function of the oral cavity, including lips, tongue, teeth, hard/soft palate, and jaw.

The first phase of swallowing where food is manipulated and formed into a bolus within the mouth.

A technique using targeted oral exercises to improve articulation and speech clarity.

How the brain interprets and responds to sensations in the mouth, affecting feeding and speech production.

The ability to use and coordinate the muscles of the mouth (tongue, lips, jaw, etc.) for actions like speaking clearly, chewing, and swallowing safely.

Organic speech sound disorders are impairments in speech production caused by identifiable structural, neurological, or sensory abnormalities. They differ from functional speech sound disorders by having a known medical or physiological cause.

The study and treatment of oral and facial muscles and their relationship to speech, breathing, and swallowing.

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder marked by difficulty chewing, forming, or moving the food bolus efficiently within the mouth prior to swallowing.

A condition involving infection or fluid in the middle ear (behind the eardrum), commonly seen in young children and often leading to temporary hearing loss; also known as a middle ear infection.

A measure used in articulation assessment to calculate accuracy of consonant production.

A structured method for teaching communication through picture exchange.

A tactile-kinesthetic approach to speech sound disorders that uses touch cues to support correct articulator placement and movement.

A measure of speech intelligibility calculating the percentage of words understood by listeners.

Palatoplasty is the surgical repair of a cleft palate, where the split in the roof of the mouth is closed so that the mouth and nose are separated. This surgery, usually done within the first year of life, helps the child feed and speak more normally by enabling the soft palate to close off the nose during swallowing and speech.

Palilalia is the compulsive repetition of a speaker’s own words or phrases. It is linked to neurological conditions and may affect fluency and clarity.

Specialized medical care focused on providing relief from symptoms and stress of serious illness, where SLPs play a role in communication and swallowing quality of life.

Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative brain disorder that primarily affects motor control, causing symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slowed movement.

A swallowing disorder in infants and children that affects one or more phases of the swallowing process—oral preparatory, oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal. It involves difficulties not only with the physical act of swallowing but also with feeding behaviors, and can stem from a wide array of developmental, structural, or medical causes.

Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) is a condition characterized by impaired oral intake that is not developmentally appropriate and involves one or more domains of dysfunction: medical, nutritional, feeding skill, or psychosocial. It often presents as extreme food selectivity, aversion, or refusal and requires interdisciplinary evaluation and management to support growth, nutrition, and mealtime functioning.

The stage of swallowing where the bolus moves through the pharynx (throat) and triggers various protective mechanisms.

Phonation is the vibration of the vocal folds within the larynx that produces voiced sound.

Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning between words. For example, the words “pat” and “bat” differ by one phoneme (/p/ vs /b/), and this single sound change alters the word’s meaning.

Phonetics is the scientific study of speech sounds, including their production, acoustic properties, and perception.

Understanding of the sound structure of language, including the ability to identify and manipulate sounds in words.

Phonological disorders are speech sound disorders in which a child has difficulty understanding and applying the sound system of a language. Unlike articulation disorders, which are motor-based and involve incorrect sound production, phonemic disorders occur at the linguistic level.

Patterns of sound simplification commonly used by young children as they develop speech.

The study of the sound system of a language, including the rules for combining and using phonemes.

Pitch is the perceived highness or lowness (frequency) of voice determined by vocal fold vibration. SLPs address pitch abnormalities in voice therapy and gender-affirming care.

The position of articulators (tongue, lips, etc.) needed to produce specific speech sounds.

Pragmatics is the aspect of language concerned with the use of language in social contexts – essentially, it governs how we choose our words and convey meaning in real-world interactions. It includes rules for conversation (like taking turns, maintaining topics, and using language politely or appropriately for a given situation).

Presbyphagia refers to age-related changes in swallowing function that occur as part of normal aging.

A motor speech disorder that gradually worsens due to ongoing neurological changes.

Conditions that cause gradual deterioration of neurological function, affecting speech, language, and/or swallowing.

An involuntary lengthening of a sound or syllable during speech, typically observed as a type of disfluency in stuttering.

Providing cues or assistance to elicit correct speech or language responses during therapy.

Prosody is the pattern of rhythm, stress, and intonation in speech that conveys emotional and pragmatic meaning.

Psychogenic stuttering is a rare stuttering form triggered by psychological trauma, unrelated to neurological damage.

Speech therapy provided outside the classroom setting, common in school-based services.

Speech therapy provided within the classroom setting, supporting curriculum access and peer interaction.

How symptoms, diagnoses, and recommendations impact overall well-being and participation in daily activities.

The speed at which someone speaks, often addressed in fluency therapy.

Recasting is an intervention method where the clinician reformulates a client’s utterance into a more advanced or correct version to model improved language use.

Receptive language is the comprehension aspect of communication – the ability to understand what others say or what one reads. It involves processing words, sentences, and meaning, and a deficit in receptive language can result in misunderstanding messages or an inability to follow along in conversation, even if hearing is normal.

Receptive Language Disorder is characterized by significant difficulty in understanding spoken, signed, or written language, despite adequate hearing and intelligence. Affected individuals may struggle to follow directions, comprehend questions, or interpret vocabulary and syntax.

Return of stomach contents to the esophagus and pharynx, which can impact voice and swallowing.

Rehabilitation is the process of therapy and intervention designed to restore communication or swallowing abilities to the highest possible level of function after they have been impaired.