Speech and language problems are the most common disability of children yet they are the least well detected, particularly in primary care settings. The goal of this notebook is to describe the disability, and also give characteristics. However the notebook will have different sections in which I will give information about organizations, services, evidence based teaching practices, assistive technology, which is technology that can or is been used to assist kids with disabilities. I will also talk about web resources that teachers, parents and students can use.
Speech-language deficits are the most common of childhood disabilities and affect about 1 in 12 children or 5% to 8% of preschool children. The consequences of untreated speech-language problems are significant and lead to behavioral challenges, mental health problems, reading difficulties, and academic failure including in-grade retention and high school dropout. Yet, such problems are ones that are least well detected in primary care, even though intervention is available and plentiful.
Speech-language impairments embrace a wide range of conditions that have, at their core, challenges in effective communication. As the term implies, they include speech disorders which refer to impairment in the articulation of speech sounds, fluency, and voice as well as language disorders which refer to impairments in the use of the spoken (or signed or written) system and may involve the form of language (grammar and phonology), the content of language (semantics), and the function of language (pragmatics). These may also be described more generally as communication disorders which are typically classified by their impact on a child's receptive skills (the ability to understand what is said or to decode, integrate, and organize what is heard) and expressive skills (the ability to articulate sounds, use appropriate rate and rhythm during speech, exhibit appropriate vocal tone and resonance, and use sounds, words, and sentences in meaningful contexts). There are common conditions in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers that are associated with receptive and expressive communication challenges.
The causes of most cases of speech-language impairments are unknown but diverse causes are suspected. The range of causes or origins includes anatomical abnormalities, cognitive deficits, faulty learning, genetic differences, hearing impairments, neurologic impairments, or physiologic abnormalities. Language differences as revealed in the communication output associated with diverse cultural, ethnic, regional or social dialects are not considered disorders. Speech and language impairments may be result from illness, injury, environmental factors or presented at birth.
Children with speech and language impairment are an under-representation of the broader occurrence of communication disorders, especially considering the co-occurrence of communication disorders with other disabilities. Approximately 8% to 12% of preschool populations exhibit language impairments. Among children enrolled in early intervention programs, 46% have communication impairments while 26% have developmental delays in multiple areas, usually including language skills. These findings indicate that the most common presentation of disability in preschoolers involves problems with language.

References

"Child Speech and Language." Child Speech and Language. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
Prelock, Patricia A., Tiffany Hutchins, and Frances P. Glascoe. "Abstract and Introduction." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 11 June 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.