speech disorder

speech disorder A disorder of the ability to produce normal speech. Speech disorders may affect articulation (phonetic or phonological disorders), fluency (stuttering or cluttering), and/or voice (tone, pitch, volume, or speed). Most speech disorders have their roots in oral-motor abnormalities, although some involve language-processing problems. A speech pathologist can diagnose speech disorders by testing the individual. See also aphasia; apraxia of speech; articulation disorder; cluttering; stuttering.