Glossary of Communication Disorder Terms

Papillomavirus: group of viruses that can cause noncancerous wart-like tumors to grow on the surface of skin and internal organs such as the respiratory tract; can be life-threatening.
Parosmia: any disease or perversion of the sense of smell, especially the subjective perception of odors that do not exist.
Perception (Hearing): process of knowing or being aware of information through the ear.
Perilymph fistula: leakage of inner ear fluid to the middle ear that occurs without apparent cause or that is associated with head trauma, physical exertion, or barotrauma.
Pervasive developmental disorders: disorders characterized by delays in several areas of development that may include socialization and communication.
Pheromones: chemical substances secreted by an animal that elicit a specific behavioral or physiological response in another animal of the same species.
Phonology: study of speech sounds.
Postlingually deafened: individual who becomes deaf after having acquired language.
Prelingually deafened: individual who is either born deaf or who lost his or her hearing early in childhood, before acquiring language.
Presbycusis: loss of hearing that gradually occurs because of changes in the inner or middle ear in individuals as they grow older.