Glossary of Communication Disorder Terms

Sensorineural hearing loss: hearing loss caused by damage to the sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner ear.
Sign language: method of communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing in which hand movements, gestures, and facial expressions convey grammatical structure and meaning. rhinitis.
Sound vocalization: ability to produce voice.
Spasmodic dysphonia: momentary disruption of voice caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx or voice box.
Specific language impairment (SLI): difficulty with language or the organized-symbol system used for communication in the absence of problems such as mental retardation, hearing loss, or emotional disorders.
Speech: spoken communication.
Speech disorder: any defect or abnormality that prevents an individual from communicating by means of spoken words. Speech disorders may develop from nerve injury to the brain, muscular paralysis, structural defects, hysteria, or mental retardation.
Speech processor: part of a cochlear implant that converts speech sounds into electrical impulses to stimulate the auditory nerve, allowing an individual to understand sound and speech.
Speech-language pathologist: health professional trained to evaluate and treat people who have voice, speech, language, or swallowing disorders (including hearing impairment) that affect their ability to communicate.
Stroke: also known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA); caused by a lack of blood to the brain, resulting in the sudden loss of speech, language, or the ability to move a body part, and, if severe enough, death.
Stuttering: frequent repetition of words or parts of words that disrupts the smooth flow of speech.
Sudden deafness: loss of hearing that occurs quickly due to such causes as explosion, a viral infection, or the use of some drugs.
Swallowing disorders: any of a group of problems that interferes with the transfer of food from the mouth to the stomach.
Syndromic hearing impairment: hearing loss or deafness that, along with other characteristics, is inherited or passed down through generations of a family.