Glossary of medical terms related to communications disorders
Encyclopedia
This is a glossary
of medical terms related to communications disorders such as blindness
and deafness.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- tumor, usually benign, which may develop on the hearing and balance nerves and can cause gradual hearing loss, tinnitus
, and/or dizziness. (sometimes called vestibular schwannoma). Also see Neurofibromatosis Type 2.
Acquired deafness - loss of hearing that occurs or develops some time during the lifespan but is not present at birth.
Ageusia
- loss of the sense of taste.
Albinism
- lack of normal pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair.
Alport syndrome
- hereditary condition characterized by kidney disease, sensorineural hearing loss, and sometimes eye defects.
American Sign Language
(ASL) - manual language with its own syntax and grammar, used primarily by people who are deaf.
Amplitude
- Magnitude of particle displacement disrupted by sound wave.
Anosmia
- absence of the sense of smell.
Aphasia
- total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand language; usually caused by stroke, brain disease, or injury.
Aphonia
- complete loss of voice.
Apraxia
- inability to execute a voluntary movement despite being able to demonstrate normal muscle function.
Articulation disorder - inability to correctly produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of imprecise placement, timing, pressure, speed, or flow of movement of the lips, tongue, or throat.
Assistive devices - technical tools and devices such as alphabet boards, text telephones, or text-to-speech conversion software used to aid individuals who have communication disorders perform actions, tasks, and activities.
Audiologist - health care professional who is trained to evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus
, and to rehabilitate individuals with hearing loss and related disorders. An audiologist uses a variety of tests and procedures to assess hearing and balance function and to fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive devices for hearing.
Auditory Brainstem Response test (ABR test) - a test for brain functioning in comatose, unresponsive, etc., patients, and for hearing in infants and young children; involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the hearing nerve and other parts of the brain.
Auditory nerve - eighth cranial nerve that connects the inner ear to the brainstem and is responsible for hearing and balance.
Auditory perception - ability to identify, interpret, and attach meaning to sound.
Auditory prosthesis - device that substitutes or enhances the ability to hear.
Augmentative devices - tools that help individuals with limited or absent speech to communicate, such as communication boards, pictographs (symbols that look like the things they represent), or ideographs (symbols representing ideas).
Aural rehabilitation
- techniques used with people who are hearing impaired to improve their ability to speak and communicate.
Autoimmune deafness - individual's immune system produces abnormal antibodies that react against the body's healthy tissues.
Autism
- can refer to autistic disorder
a psychiatric syndrome featuring restricted and repetitive behaviors, and impaired social interaction and communication; or the group of syndromes to which autistic disorder belongs - the autism spectrum disorders.
- Prelinguistic sound play by infants; characterized by labial consonants(/b/p/m/).
Balance
- biological system that enables individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position. Normal balance depends on information from the labyrinth in the inner ear, from other senses such as sight and touch, and from muscle movement.
Balance disorder
- disruption in the labyrinth, the inner ear organ that controls the balance system, which allows individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment. The labyrinth works with other systems in the body, such as the visual and skeletal systems, to maintain posture.
Barotrauma
- injury to the middle ear caused by a reduction of air pressure.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
(BPPV) - balance disorder that results in sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head.
Brainstem implant - auditory prosthesis that bypasses the cochlea and auditory nerve. This type of implant helps individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear implant because the auditory nerves are not working.
Central auditory processing disorder - inability to differentiate, recognize, or understand sounds; hearing and intelligence are normal.
Chemosensory disorders - diseases or problems associated with the sense of smell or the sense of taste.
Cholesteatoma
- accumulation of dead cells in the middle ear, caused by repeated middle ear infections.
Cochlea
- snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the organ of hearing.
Cochlear implant
- medical device that bypasses damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing some deaf individuals to learn to hear and interpret sounds and speech.
Cognition
- thinking skills that include perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect, and imagination.
Conductive hearing impairment - hearing loss caused by dysfunction of the outer or middle ear.
Cued speech
- method of communication that combines speech reading with a system of handshapes placed near the mouth to help deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals differentiate words that look similar on the lips (e.g., bunch vs. punch) or are hidden (e.g., gag).
Cytomegalovirus
(Congenital) - one group of herpes viruses that infects humans and can cause a variety of clinical symptoms, including deafness or hearing impairment; infection with the virus may be either before or after birth.
- unit that measures the intensity or loudness of sound.
Dizziness
- physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and lightheadedness associated with balance disorders.
Dysarthria
- group of speech disorders caused by disturbances in the strength or coordination of the muscles of the speech mechanism as a result of damage to the brain or nerves.
Dysequilibrium - any disturbance of balance.
Dysfluency - disruption in the smooth flow or expression of speech.
Dysgeusia
- distortion or absence of the sense of taste.
Dyslexia
- learning disability characterized by reading difficulties. Some individuals may also have difficulty writing, spelling, or working with numbers.
Dysosmia
- distortion or absence of the sense of smell.
Dysphagia
- difficulty swallowing.
Dysphonia
- any impairment of the voice or speaking ability.
Dyspraxia of speech - in individuals with normal muscle tone and speech muscle coordination, partial loss of the ability to consistently pronounce words.
Dystonia
- abnormal muscle tone of one or more muscles.
Earwax
- yellow secretion from glands in the outer ear (cerumen) that keeps the skin of the ear dry and protected from infection.
Echolalia
- Repeating what one has already said or heard; often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Endolymph
- fluid in the labyrinth (the organ of balance located in the inner ear that consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule).
- System of rules used by speakers of a language to produce and understand spoken language.
Gustation - act or sensation of tasting.
Glaucoma
- disease related to eyes due to increase in IOP(intraorbicular pressure)
s - sensory cells of the inner ear, which are topped with hair-like structures, the stereocilia, and which transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve impulses.
Haptic sense - sense of physical contact or touch.
Haptometer - instrument for measuring sensitivity to touch.
Hearing
- series of events in which sound waves in the air are converted to electrical signals, which are sent as nerve impulses to the brain, where they are interpreted.
Hearing aid
- electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier, and receiver.
Hearing disorder
- disruption in the normal hearing process that may occur in outer, middle, or inner ear, whereby sound waves are not conducted to the inner ear, converted to electrical signals and/or nerve impulses are not transmitted to the brain to be interpreted.
Hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss passed down through generations of a family.
Hoarseness - abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused by vocal abuse and other disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux, thyroid problems, or trauma to the larynx (voice box).
Hyper neurotic diafragma contractions - the hick-ups
Hypogeusia
- diminished sensitivity to taste.
Hyposmia
- diminished sensitivity to smell.
Alterations in the pitch and prosody of spoken language to convey meaning.
Inner ear
- part of the ear that contains both the organ of hearing (the cochlea) and the organ of balance (the labyrinth).
Intensity
Refers to the energy flow per unit area (audiology).
Labyrinthine hydrops - excessive fluid in the organ of balance (labyrinth); can cause pressure or fullness in the ears, hearing loss, dizziness, and loss of balance.
Labyrinthitis
- viral or bacterial infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause dizziness, loss of balance, and temporary hearing loss.
Landau-Kleffner syndrome
- childhood disorder of unknown origin which often extends into adulthood and can be identified by gradual or sudden loss of the ability to understand and use spoken language.
Language
- system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs, or marks.
Language disorder
s - any of a number of problems with verbal communication and the ability to use or understand a symbol system for communication.
Laryngeal neoplasms - abnormal growths in the larynx (voice box) that can be cancerous or noncancerous.
Laryngeal nodules - noncancerous, callous-like growths on the inner parts of the vocal folds (vocal cords); usually caused by vocal abuse or misuse.
Laryngeal paralysis
- loss of function or feeling of one or both of the vocal folds caused by injury or disease to the nerves of the larynx.
Laryngectomy
- surgery to remove part or all of the larynx (voice box).
Laryngitis
- hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
Laryngoplasty - laryngeal framework surgery of a paralysed vocal cord to help strengthen the voice - a window in the thyroid cartilage
is created and an implant is inserted into the para-glottic space via an open approach.
Larynx
- valve structure between the trachea (windpipe) and the pharynx (the upper throat) that is the primary organ of voice production.
Learning disabilities
- childhood disorders characterized by difficulty with certain skills such as reading or writing in individuals with normal intelligence.
Mastoid surgery - surgical procedure to remove infection from the mastoid bone.
Meige syndrome - movement disorder that can involve excessive eye blinking (blepharospasm) with involuntary movements of the jaw muscles, lips, and tongue (oromandibular dystonia).
Ménière's disease
- inner ear disorder that can affect both hearing and balance. It can cause episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus
, and the sensation of fullness in the ear.
Meningitis
- inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that envelop the brain and the spinal cord; may cause hearing loss or deafness.
Middle ear
- part of the ear that includes the eardrum and three tiny bones of the middle ear, ending at the round window that leads to the inner ear.
Misarticulation - inaccurately produced speech sound (phoneme) or sounds.
Motion sickness
- dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and generalized discomfort experienced when an individual is in motion.
Motor speech disorders
- group of disorders caused by the inability to accurately produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of muscle weakness or incoordination or difficulty performing voluntary muscle movements.
- ability of the brain and/or certain parts of the nervous system to adapt to new conditions, such as an injury.
Neural prostheses - devices that substitute for an injured or diseased part of the nervous system, such as the cochlear implant.
Neural stimulation - to activate or energize a nerve through an external source.
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1 von Recklinghausen's) - group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that may include the hearing nerve. The symptoms of NF-1 include coffee-colored spots on the skin, enlargement, deformation of bones, and neurofibromas.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF-2) - group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that usually include the hearing nerve. The symptoms of NF-2 include tumors on the hearing nerve which can affect hearing and balance. NF-2 may occur in the teenage years with hearing loss. Also see acoustic neurinoma.
Neurogenic communication disorder - inability to exchange information with others because of hearing, speech, and/or language problems caused by impairment of the nervous system (brain or nerves).
Noise-induced hearing loss - hearing loss caused by exposure to harmful sounds, either very loud impulse sound(s) or repeated exposure to sounds over 90-decibel level over an extended period of time that damage the sensitive structures of the inner ear.
Nonsyndromic hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss or deafness that is inherited and is not associated with other inherited clinical characteristics.
Olfaction
- the act of smelling.
Olfactometer
- device for estimating the intensity of the sense of smell.
Open-set speech recognition - understanding speech without visual clues (speech reading).
Otitis externa
- inflammation of the outer part of the ear extending to the auditory canal.
Otitis media
- inflammation of the middle ear caused by infection.
Otoacoustic emission
s - low-intensity sounds produced by the inner ear that can be quickly measured with a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal.
Otolaryngologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
Otologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ear.
Otosclerosis
- abnormal growth of bone of the inner ear. This bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly and causes hearing loss. For some people with otosclerosis, the hearing loss may become severe.
Ototoxic drugs - drugs such as a special class of antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, that can damage the hearing and balance organs located in the inner ear for some individuals.
Outer ear
- external portion of the ear, consisting of the pinna, or auricle, and the ear canal.
- 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 disorder
s - disorders characterized by delays in several areas of development that may include socialization and communication.
Pheromone
s - 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.
Round window
- membrane separating the middle ear and inner ear.
- 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.
Smell - to perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves. See olfaction
.
Smell disorder - inability to perceive odors. It may be temporary, caused by a head cold or swelling or blockage of the nasal passages. It can be permanent when any part of the olfactory region is damaged by factors such as brain injury, tumor, disease, or chronic 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.
Tactile devices - mechanical instruments that make use of touch to help individuals who have certain disabilities, such as deaf-blindness, to communicate.
Taste
- sensation produced by a stimulus applied to the gustatory nerve endings in the tongue. The four tastes are salt, sour, sweet, and bitter. Some scientists indicate the existence of a fifth taste, described as savory.
Taste buds - groups of cells located on the tongue that enable one to recognize different tastes.
Taste disorder - inability to perceive different flavors. Taste disorders may result from poor oral hygiene
, gum disease, hepatitis, or medicines and chemotherapeutic drugs. Taste disorders may also be neurological.
Thalassaemia-An inherited disease of the red blood cells,resulting in the inadequate production of haemoglobin(the oxygen-carrying protein).
Throat disorders - disorders or diseases of the larynx (voice box), pharynx, or esophagus.
Thyroplasty - surgical technique(s) to improve the human voice by altering single or multiple structures of the larynx
, which houses the vocal folds (vocal cords) with the related controlling nerves, muscles, and cartilage. Typically, this surgery is considered to improve the position or tension of the vocal folds which can improve vocal volume and production. This is also known as laryngeal framework surgery. The most common technique may be to insert small blocks of custom-shaped silastin just inside of the tracheal wall, pushing the vocal fold muscle inward (medialization). This typically strengthens the output of a weaker voice but it also reduces the exchange volume of pulmonary function, as the tracheal opening has been permanently reduced. This surgery is named for its proximity to the thyroid gland.
Tinnitus
- sensation of a ringing, roaring, or buzzing sound in the ears or head. It is often associated with many forms of hearing impairment. Noise exposure and inner ear infections are but two predisposing conditions which can lead to the development of tinnitus.
Tongue
- large muscle on the floor of the mouth that manipulates food for chewing and swallowing. It is the main organ of taste, and assists in forming speech sounds.
Touch
- tactile sense; the sense by which contact with the skin or mucous membrane is experienced.
Tourette syndrome
- neurological disorder characterized by recurring movements and sounds (called tic
s).
Tracheostomy - surgical opening into the trachea (windpipe) to help someone breathe who has an obstruction or swelling in the larynx (voice box) or upper throat or who has had the larynx surgically removed.
Tuberous Sclerosis
- Hereditary disease with multiorgan manifestation. Typical symptoms are epileptic seizures, autism, skin disorders, and renal tumors.
Tympanoplasty
- surgical repair of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) or bones of the middle ear.
- Taste of substances such as L-glutamate salts (MSG) that are found in foods like bouillon and other stocks. (reference:Yamaguchi S, Ninomiya K. J Nutr. 2000 Apr:130(4S Suppl):921S-926S.)
Usher syndrome
- hereditary disease that affects hearing and vision and sometimes balance.
Ulna
- Long bone in the arm on the pinky side that goes from the humerus to the carpal.
Vertigo
- illusion of movement; a sensation as if the external world were revolving around an individual (objective vertigo) or as if the individual were revolving in space (subjective vertigo).
Vestibular Neuronitis
- infection at the vestibular nerve.
Vestibular system
- system in the body that is responsible for maintaining balance, posture, and the body's orientation in space. This system also regulates locomotion and other movements and keeps objects in visual focus as the body moves.
Vestibule
- bony cavity of the inner ear.
Vibrotactile aids - mechanical instruments that help individuals who are deaf to detect and interpret sound through the sense of touch.
Vocal cord paralysis - inability of one or both vocal folds (vocal cords) to move because of damage to the brain or nerves.
Vocal cords (Vocal folds) - muscularized folds of mucous membrane that extend from the larynx (voice box) wall. The folds are enclosed in elastic vocal ligament and muscle that control the tension and rate of vibration of the cords as air passes through them.
Vocal folds
- see Vocal cords.
Vocal tremor - trembling or shaking of one or more of the muscles of the larynx, resulting in an unsteady-sounding voice.
Voice
- sound produced by air passing out through the larynx and upper respiratory tract.
Voice disorders - group of problems involving abnormal pitch, loudness, or quality of the sound produced by the larynx (voice box).
- hereditary disorder that is characterized by hearing impairment, a white shock of hair and/or distinctive blue color to one or both eyes, and wide-set inner corners of the eyes. Balance problems are also associated with some types of Waardenburg syndrome.
Glossary
A glossary, also known as an idioticon, vocabulary, or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms...
of medical terms related to communications disorders such as blindness
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
and deafness.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Acoustic neuromaAcoustic neuroma
A vestibular schwannoma, often called an acoustic neuroma, is a benign primary intracranial tumor of the myelin-forming cells of the vestibulocochlear nerve . The term "vestibular schwannoma" involves the vestibular portion of the 8th cranial nerve and arises from Schwann cells, which are...
- tumor, usually benign, which may develop on the hearing and balance nerves and can cause gradual hearing loss, tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
, and/or dizziness. (sometimes called vestibular schwannoma). Also see Neurofibromatosis Type 2.
Acquired deafness - loss of hearing that occurs or develops some time during the lifespan but is not present at birth.
Ageusia
Ageusia
Ageusia is the loss of taste functions of the tongue, particularly the inability to detect sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami . It is sometimes confused with anosmia - a loss of the sense of smell...
- loss of the sense of taste.
Albinism
Albinism
Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of an enzyme involved in the production of melanin...
- lack of normal pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair.
Alport syndrome
Alport syndrome
Alport syndrome or hereditary nephritis is a genetic disorder characterized by glomerulonephritis, endstage kidney disease, and hearing loss. Alport syndrome can also affect the eyes . The presence of blood in the urine is almost always found in this condition.It was first identified in a British...
- hereditary condition characterized by kidney disease, sensorineural hearing loss, and sometimes eye defects.
American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
(ASL) - manual language with its own syntax and grammar, used primarily by people who are deaf.
Amplitude
Amplitude
Amplitude is the magnitude of change in the oscillating variable with each oscillation within an oscillating system. For example, sound waves in air are oscillations in atmospheric pressure and their amplitudes are proportional to the change in pressure during one oscillation...
- Magnitude of particle displacement disrupted by sound wave.
Anosmia
Anosmia
Anosmia is a lack of functioning olfaction, or in other words, an inability to perceive odors. Anosmia may be either temporary or permanent. A related term, hyposmia, refers to a decreased ability to smell, while hyperosmia refers to an increased ability to smell. Some people may be anosmic for one...
- absence of the sense of smell.
Aphasia
Aphasia
Aphasia is an impairment of language ability. This class of language disorder ranges from having difficulty remembering words to being completely unable to speak, read, or write....
- total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand language; usually caused by stroke, brain disease, or injury.
Aphonia
Aphonia
Aphonia is the inability to speak. It is considered more severe than dysphonia. A primary cause of aphonia is bilateral disruption of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which supplies nearly all the muscles in the larynx...
- complete loss of voice.
Apraxia
Apraxia
Apraxia is a disorder caused by damage to specific areas of the cerebrum. Apraxia is characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned purposeful movements, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform the movements...
- inability to execute a voluntary movement despite being able to demonstrate normal muscle function.
Articulation disorder - inability to correctly produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of imprecise placement, timing, pressure, speed, or flow of movement of the lips, tongue, or throat.
Assistive devices - technical tools and devices such as alphabet boards, text telephones, or text-to-speech conversion software used to aid individuals who have communication disorders perform actions, tasks, and activities.
Audiologist - health care professional who is trained to evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
, and to rehabilitate individuals with hearing loss and related disorders. An audiologist uses a variety of tests and procedures to assess hearing and balance function and to fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive devices for hearing.
Auditory Brainstem Response test (ABR test) - a test for brain functioning in comatose, unresponsive, etc., patients, and for hearing in infants and young children; involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the hearing nerve and other parts of the brain.
Auditory nerve - eighth cranial nerve that connects the inner ear to the brainstem and is responsible for hearing and balance.
Auditory perception - ability to identify, interpret, and attach meaning to sound.
Auditory prosthesis - device that substitutes or enhances the ability to hear.
Augmentative devices - tools that help individuals with limited or absent speech to communicate, such as communication boards, pictographs (symbols that look like the things they represent), or ideographs (symbols representing ideas).
Aural rehabilitation
Aural Rehabilitation
Aural rehabilitation is the process of identifying and diagnosing a hearing loss, providing different types of therapies to clients who are hearing impaired, and implementing different amplification devices to aid the client’s hearing abilities...
- techniques used with people who are hearing impaired to improve their ability to speak and communicate.
Autoimmune deafness - individual's immune system produces abnormal antibodies that react against the body's healthy tissues.
Autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
- can refer to autistic disorder
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
a psychiatric syndrome featuring restricted and repetitive behaviors, and impaired social interaction and communication; or the group of syndromes to which autistic disorder belongs - the autism spectrum disorders.
B
BabblingBabbling
Babbling is a stage in child development and a state in language acquisition, during which an infant appears to be experimenting with uttering sounds of language, but not yet producing any recognizable words...
- Prelinguistic sound play by infants; characterized by labial consonants(/b/p/m/).
Balance
Equilibrioception
Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological senses. It helps prevent humans and animals from falling over when walking or standing still. Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together: the eyes , ears and the body's sense of where it is in space ideally...
- biological system that enables individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position. Normal balance depends on information from the labyrinth in the inner ear, from other senses such as sight and touch, and from muscle movement.
Balance disorder
Balance disorder
A balance disorder is a disturbance that causes an individual to feel unsteady, for example when standing or walking. It may be accompanied by feelings of giddiness or wooziness, or having a sensation of movement, spinning, or floating...
- disruption in the labyrinth, the inner ear organ that controls the balance system, which allows individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment. The labyrinth works with other systems in the body, such as the visual and skeletal systems, to maintain posture.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is physical damage to body tissues caused by a difference in pressure between an air space inside or beside the body and the surrounding fluid...
- injury to the middle ear caused by a reduction of air pressure.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a disorder caused by problems in the inner ear. Its symptoms are repeated episodes of positional vertigo, that is, of a spinning sensation caused by changes in the position of the head.-Classification:...
(BPPV) - balance disorder that results in sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head.
Brainstem implant - auditory prosthesis that bypasses the cochlea and auditory nerve. This type of implant helps individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear implant because the auditory nerves are not working.
C
Captioning - text display of spoken words, presented on a television or a movie screen, that allows a deaf or hard-of-hearing viewer to follow the dialogue and the action of a program simultaneously.Central auditory processing disorder - inability to differentiate, recognize, or understand sounds; hearing and intelligence are normal.
Chemosensory disorders - diseases or problems associated with the sense of smell or the sense of taste.
Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is a destructive and expanding growth consisting of keratinizing squamous epithelium in the middle ear and/or mastoid process.-Signs and symptoms:...
- accumulation of dead cells in the middle ear, caused by repeated middle ear infections.
Cochlea
Cochlea
The cochlea is the auditory portion of the inner ear. It is a spiral-shaped cavity in the bony labyrinth, making 2.5 turns around its axis, the modiolus....
- snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the organ of hearing.
Cochlear implant
Cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing...
- medical device that bypasses damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing some deaf individuals to learn to hear and interpret sounds and speech.
Cognition
Cognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
- thinking skills that include perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect, and imagination.
Conductive hearing impairment - hearing loss caused by dysfunction of the outer or middle ear.
Cued speech
Cued speech
Cued Speech is a system of communication used with and among deaf or hard of hearing people. It is a phonemic-based system which makes traditionally spoken languages accessible by using a small number of handshapes in different locations near the mouth , as a supplement to lipreading...
- method of communication that combines speech reading with a system of handshapes placed near the mouth to help deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals differentiate words that look similar on the lips (e.g., bunch vs. punch) or are hidden (e.g., gag).
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus is a viral genus of the viral group known as Herpesviridae or herpesviruses. It is typically abbreviated as CMV: The species that infects humans is commonly known as human CMV or human herpesvirus-5 , and is the most studied of all cytomegaloviruses...
(Congenital) - one group of herpes viruses that infects humans and can cause a variety of clinical symptoms, including deafness or hearing impairment; infection with the virus may be either before or after birth.
D
DecibelDecibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
- unit that measures the intensity or loudness of sound.
Dizziness
Dizziness
Dizziness refers to an impairment in spatial perception and stability. The term is somewhat imprecise. It can be used to mean vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness....
- physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and lightheadedness associated with balance disorders.
Dysarthria
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological injury of the motor component of the motor-speech system and is characterized by poor articulation of phonemes...
- group of speech disorders caused by disturbances in the strength or coordination of the muscles of the speech mechanism as a result of damage to the brain or nerves.
Dysequilibrium - any disturbance of balance.
Dysfluency - disruption in the smooth flow or expression of speech.
Dysgeusia
Dysgeusia
Dysgeusia is the distortion of the sense of taste. Dysgeusia is also often associated with ageusia, which is the complete lack of taste, and hypogeusia, which is the decrease in taste sensitivity. An alteration in taste or smell may be a secondary process in various disease states, or it may be...
- distortion or absence of the sense of taste.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
- learning disability characterized by reading difficulties. Some individuals may also have difficulty writing, spelling, or working with numbers.
Dysosmia
Dysosmia
Dysosmia, also known as olfactory dysfunction, is the impairment of olfactory stimuli processing leading to an altered sense of smell.These dysfunctions can present in a variety of ways, such as the stimuli not activating the olfactory bulb, some odors being interpreted as other odors, or...
- distortion or absence of the sense of smell.
Dysphagia
Dysphagia
Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing. Although classified under "symptoms and signs" in ICD-10, the term is sometimes used as a condition in its own right. Sufferers are sometimes unaware of their dysphagia....
- difficulty swallowing.
Dysphonia
Dysphonia
Dysphonia is the medical term for disorders of the voice: an impairment in the ability to produce voice sounds using the vocal organs . Thus, dysphonia is a phonation disorder...
- any impairment of the voice or speaking ability.
Dyspraxia of speech - in individuals with normal muscle tone and speech muscle coordination, partial loss of the ability to consistently pronounce words.
Dystonia
Dystonia
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The disorder may be hereditary or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma, infection, poisoning or reaction to...
- abnormal muscle tone of one or more muscles.
E
Ear infection - presence and growth of bacteria or viruses in the ear.Earwax
Earwax
Earwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a yellowish waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals. It protects the skin of the human ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication, and also provides some protection from bacteria, fungi, insects and water...
- yellow secretion from glands in the outer ear (cerumen) that keeps the skin of the ear dry and protected from infection.
Echolalia
Echolalia
Echolalia is the automatic repetition of vocalizations made by another person. It is closely related to echopraxia, the automatic repetition of movements made by another person....
- Repeating what one has already said or heard; often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Endolymph
Endolymph
Endolymph is the fluid contained in the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. It is also called Scarpa's fluid, after Antonio Scarpa.-Composition:...
- fluid in the labyrinth (the organ of balance located in the inner ear that consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule).
G
GrammarGrammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
- System of rules used by speakers of a language to produce and understand spoken language.
Gustation - act or sensation of tasting.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
- disease related to eyes due to increase in IOP(intraorbicular pressure)
H
Hair cellHair cell
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of both the auditory system and the vestibular system in all vertebrates. In mammals, the auditory hair cells are located within the organ of Corti on a thin basilar membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear...
s - sensory cells of the inner ear, which are topped with hair-like structures, the stereocilia, and which transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve impulses.
Haptic sense - sense of physical contact or touch.
Haptometer - instrument for measuring sensitivity to touch.
Hearing
Hearing (sense)
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through an organ such as the ear. It is one of the traditional five senses...
- series of events in which sound waves in the air are converted to electrical signals, which are sent as nerve impulses to the brain, where they are interpreted.
Hearing aid
Hearing aid
A hearing aid is an electroacoustic device which typically fits in or behind the wearer's ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sound for the wearer. Earlier devices, known as "ear trumpets" or "ear horns", were passive funnel-like amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and...
- electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier, and receiver.
Hearing disorder
Hearing impairment
-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
- disruption in the normal hearing process that may occur in outer, middle, or inner ear, whereby sound waves are not conducted to the inner ear, converted to electrical signals and/or nerve impulses are not transmitted to the brain to be interpreted.
Hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss passed down through generations of a family.
Hoarseness - abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused by vocal abuse and other disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux, thyroid problems, or trauma to the larynx (voice box).
Hyper neurotic diafragma contractions - the hick-ups
Hypogeusia
Hypogeusia
Hypogeusia is a reduced ability to taste things . The complete lack of taste is referred to as ageusia.Causes of hypogeusia include the chemotherapy drug bleomycin, an antitumor antibiotic....
- diminished sensitivity to taste.
Hyposmia
Hyposmia
Hyposmia is a reduced ability to smell and to detect odours. A related condition is anosmia, in which no odours can be detected. Some of the causes of olfaction problems are allergies, nasal polyps, viral infections and head trauma...
- diminished sensitivity to smell.
I
InflectionInflection
In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, grammatical voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case...
Alterations in the pitch and prosody of spoken language to convey meaning.
Inner ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
- part of the ear that contains both the organ of hearing (the cochlea) and the organ of balance (the labyrinth).
Intensity
Intensity (physics)
In physics, intensity is a measure of the energy flux, averaged over the period of the wave. The word "intensity" here is not synonymous with "strength", "amplitude", or "level", as it sometimes is in colloquial speech...
Refers to the energy flow per unit area (audiology).
K
Kallmann's syndrome - disorder that can include several characteristics such as absence of the sense of smell and decreased functional activity of the gonads (organs that produce sex cells), affecting growth and sexual development.L
Labyrinth - organ of balance located in the inner ear. The labyrinth consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule.Labyrinthine hydrops - excessive fluid in the organ of balance (labyrinth); can cause pressure or fullness in the ears, hearing loss, dizziness, and loss of balance.
Labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of the inner ear, and a form of unilateral vestibular dysfunction. It derives its name from the labyrinths that house the vestibular system . Labyrinthitis can cause balance disorders....
- viral or bacterial infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause dizziness, loss of balance, and temporary hearing loss.
Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Landau–Kleffner syndrome , also called infantile acquired aphasia, acquired epileptic aphasia or aphasia with convulsive disorder, is a rare, childhood neurological syndrome....
- childhood disorder of unknown origin which often extends into adulthood and can be identified by gradual or sudden loss of the ability to understand and use spoken language.
Language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
- system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs, or marks.
Language disorder
Language disorder
Language disorders or language impairments are disorders that involve the processing of linguistic information. Problems that may be experienced can involve grammar , semantics , or other aspects of language...
s - any of a number of problems with verbal communication and the ability to use or understand a symbol system for communication.
Laryngeal neoplasms - abnormal growths in the larynx (voice box) that can be cancerous or noncancerous.
Laryngeal nodules - noncancerous, callous-like growths on the inner parts of the vocal folds (vocal cords); usually caused by vocal abuse or misuse.
Laryngeal paralysis
Laryngeal paralysis
Laryngeal paralysis in animals is a condition in which the nerves and muscles that control the movements of one or both arytenoid cartilages of the larynx cease to function, and instead of opening during inspiration and closing during swallowing, the arytenoids remain stationary in a somewhat...
- loss of function or feeling of one or both of the vocal folds caused by injury or disease to the nerves of the larynx.
Laryngectomy
Laryngectomy
Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus. The laryngectomee breathes through an opening in the neck, a stoma. This procedure is usually performed in cases of laryngeal cancer...
- surgery to remove part or all of the larynx (voice box).
Laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
- hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
Laryngoplasty - laryngeal framework surgery of a paralysed vocal cord to help strengthen the voice - a window in the thyroid cartilage
Thyroid cartilage
The thyroid cartilage is the largest of the nine cartilages that make up the laryngeal skeleton, the cartilage structure in and around the trachea that contains the larynx....
is created and an implant is inserted into the para-glottic space via an open approach.
Larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
- valve structure between the trachea (windpipe) and the pharynx (the upper throat) that is the primary organ of voice production.
Learning disabilities
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
- childhood disorders characterized by difficulty with certain skills such as reading or writing in individuals with normal intelligence.
M
Mastoid - back portion of the temporal bone that contains the inner ear.Mastoid surgery - surgical procedure to remove infection from the mastoid bone.
Meige syndrome - movement disorder that can involve excessive eye blinking (blepharospasm) with involuntary movements of the jaw muscles, lips, and tongue (oromandibular dystonia).
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who, in an article published...
- inner ear disorder that can affect both hearing and balance. It can cause episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
, and the sensation of fullness in the ear.
Meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
- inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that envelop the brain and the spinal cord; may cause hearing loss or deafness.
Middle ear
Middle ear
The middle ear is the portion of the ear internal to the eardrum, and external to the oval window of the cochlea. The mammalian middle ear contains three ossicles, which couple vibration of the eardrum into waves in the fluid and membranes of the inner ear. The hollow space of the middle ear has...
- part of the ear that includes the eardrum and three tiny bones of the middle ear, ending at the round window that leads to the inner ear.
Misarticulation - inaccurately produced speech sound (phoneme) or sounds.
Motion sickness
Motion sickness
Motion sickness or kinetosis, also known as travel sickness, is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement...
- dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and generalized discomfort experienced when an individual is in motion.
Motor speech disorders
Motor speech disorders
Motor speech disorders are a class of speech disorder that disturb the body's natural ability to speak. These disturbances vary in their etiology based on the integrity and integration of cognitive, neuromuscular, and musculoskeletal activities...
- group of disorders caused by the inability to accurately produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of muscle weakness or incoordination or difficulty performing voluntary muscle movements.
N
NeuroplasticityNeuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is a non-specific neuroscience term referring to the ability of the brain and nervous system in all species to change structurally and functionally as a result of input from the environment. Plasticity occurs on a variety of levels, ranging from cellular changes involved in...
- ability of the brain and/or certain parts of the nervous system to adapt to new conditions, such as an injury.
Neural prostheses - devices that substitute for an injured or diseased part of the nervous system, such as the cochlear implant.
Neural stimulation - to activate or energize a nerve through an external source.
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1 von Recklinghausen's) - group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that may include the hearing nerve. The symptoms of NF-1 include coffee-colored spots on the skin, enlargement, deformation of bones, and neurofibromas.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF-2) - group of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several nerves that usually include the hearing nerve. The symptoms of NF-2 include tumors on the hearing nerve which can affect hearing and balance. NF-2 may occur in the teenage years with hearing loss. Also see acoustic neurinoma.
Neurogenic communication disorder - inability to exchange information with others because of hearing, speech, and/or language problems caused by impairment of the nervous system (brain or nerves).
Noise-induced hearing loss - hearing loss caused by exposure to harmful sounds, either very loud impulse sound(s) or repeated exposure to sounds over 90-decibel level over an extended period of time that damage the sensitive structures of the inner ear.
Nonsyndromic hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss or deafness that is inherited and is not associated with other inherited clinical characteristics.
O
Odorant - substance that stimulates the sense of smell.Olfaction
Olfaction
Olfaction is the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates...
- the act of smelling.
Olfactometer
Olfactometer
An olfactometer is an instrument typically used to detect and measure ambient odor dilution. Olfactometers are used in conjunction with human subjects in laboratory settings, most often in market research, to quantify and qualify human olfaction. Olfactometers are used to gauge the odor detection...
- device for estimating the intensity of the sense of smell.
Open-set speech recognition - understanding speech without visual clues (speech reading).
Otitis externa
Otitis externa
Otitis externa is an inflammation of the outer ear and ear canal. Along with otitis media, external otitis is one of the two human conditions commonly called "earache". It also occurs in many other species. Inflammation of the skin of the ear canal is the essence of this disorder...
- inflammation of the outer part of the ear extending to the auditory canal.
Otitis media
Otitis media
Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear, or a middle ear infection.It occurs in the area between the tympanic membrane and the inner ear, including a duct known as the eustachian tube. It is one of the two categories of ear inflammation that can underlie what is commonly called an earache,...
- inflammation of the middle ear caused by infection.
Otoacoustic emission
Otoacoustic emission
An otoacoustic emission is a sound which is generated from within the inner ear. Having been predicted by Thomas Gold in 1948, its existence was first demonstrated experimentally by David Kemp in 1978 and otoacoustic emissions have since been shown to arise by a number of different cellular...
s - low-intensity sounds produced by the inner ear that can be quickly measured with a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal.
Otolaryngologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
Otologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ear.
Otosclerosis
Otosclerosis
Otosclerosis is an abnormal growth of bone near the middle ear. It can result in hearing loss.-Clinical description:Otosclerosis can result in conductive and/or sensorineural hearing loss...
- abnormal growth of bone of the inner ear. This bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly and causes hearing loss. For some people with otosclerosis, the hearing loss may become severe.
Ototoxic drugs - drugs such as a special class of antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, that can damage the hearing and balance organs located in the inner ear for some individuals.
Outer ear
Outer ear
The outer ear is the external portion of the ear, which consists of the pinna, concha, and external auditory meatus. It gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum . One consequence of the configuration of the external ear is to selectively boost the sound pressure 30- to 100-fold for...
- external portion of the ear, consisting of the pinna, or auricle, and the ear canal.
P
PapillomavirusPapillomavirus
Papillomaviridae is an ancient taxonomic family of non-enveloped DNA viruses, collectively known as papillomaviruses. Several hundred species of papillomaviruses, traditionally referred to as "types", have been identified infecting all carefully inspected birds and mammals, but also a small number...
- 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
Parosmia
Parosmia, also known as troposmia or cacosmia, is an olfactory dysfunction that is characterized by the inability of the brain to properly identify an odor’s “natural” smell....
- any disease or perversion of the sense of smell, especially the subjective perception of odors that do not exist.
Perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
(Hearing) - process of knowing or being aware of information through the ear.
Perilymph fistula
Perilymph fistula
A labyrinthine fistula is an abnormal opening in the bony capsule of the inner ear, resulting in leakage of the perilymph from the semicircular canals into the middle ear . This includes specifically a perilymph fistula , an abnormal connection between the fluid of the inner ear and the air-filled...
- 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 disorder
Pervasive developmental disorder
Pervasive developmental disorders is a diagnostic category refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays or impairments in communication, social behaviors, and cognitive development.Pervasive developmental disorders include Autism, Asperger's syndrome, Rett's syndrome, Childhood...
s - disorders characterized by delays in several areas of development that may include socialization and communication.
Pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
s - chemical substances secreted by an animal that elicit a specific behavioral or physiological response in another animal of the same species.
Phonology
Phonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
- 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
Presbycusis
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is the cumulative effect of aging on hearing. Also known as presbyacusis, it is defined as a progressive bilateral symmetrical age-related sensorineural hearing loss. The hearing loss is most marked at higher frequencies...
- loss of hearing that gradually occurs because of changes in the inner or middle ear in individuals as they grow older.
R
Reading disorders - any of a group of problems characterized by difficulty using or understanding the symbol system for written language.Round window
Round window
The round window is one of the two openings into the inner ear. It is closed off from the middle ear by the round window membrane, which vibrates with opposite phase to vibrations entering the inner ear through the oval window...
- membrane separating the middle ear and inner ear.
S
Sensorineural hearing lossSensorineural hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss is a type of hearing loss in which the root cause lies in the vestibulocochlear nerve , the inner ear, or central processing centers of the brain....
- hearing loss caused by damage to the sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner ear.
Sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
- 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.
Smell - to perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves. See olfaction
Olfaction
Olfaction is the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates...
.
Smell disorder - inability to perceive odors. It may be temporary, caused by a head cold or swelling or blockage of the nasal passages. It can be permanent when any part of the olfactory region is damaged by factors such as brain injury, tumor, disease, or chronic rhinitis.
Sound vocalization - ability to produce voice.
Spasmodic dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia is a voice disorder characterized by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx during speech.- Types of spasmodic dysphonia :...
- momentary disruption of voice caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx or voice box.
Specific language impairment
Specific language impairment
Specific language impairment is diagnosed when a child's language does not develop normally and the difficulties cannot be accounted for by generally slow development , physical abnormality of the speech apparatus, autistic disorder, acquired brain damage or hearing loss.-Overview:Specific...
(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
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
- 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
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
- 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
Stuttering
Stuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
- 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.
T
Tactile - related to touch or the sense of touch.Tactile devices - mechanical instruments that make use of touch to help individuals who have certain disabilities, such as deaf-blindness, to communicate.
Taste
Taste
Taste is one of the traditional five senses. It refers to the ability to detect the flavor of substances such as food, certain minerals, and poisons, etc....
- sensation produced by a stimulus applied to the gustatory nerve endings in the tongue. The four tastes are salt, sour, sweet, and bitter. Some scientists indicate the existence of a fifth taste, described as savory.
Taste buds - groups of cells located on the tongue that enable one to recognize different tastes.
Taste disorder - inability to perceive different flavors. Taste disorders may result from poor oral hygiene
Oral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
, gum disease, hepatitis, or medicines and chemotherapeutic drugs. Taste disorders may also be neurological.
Thalassaemia-An inherited disease of the red blood cells,resulting in the inadequate production of haemoglobin(the oxygen-carrying protein).
Throat disorders - disorders or diseases of the larynx (voice box), pharynx, or esophagus.
Thyroplasty - surgical technique(s) to improve the human voice by altering single or multiple structures of the larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
, which houses the vocal folds (vocal cords) with the related controlling nerves, muscles, and cartilage. Typically, this surgery is considered to improve the position or tension of the vocal folds which can improve vocal volume and production. This is also known as laryngeal framework surgery. The most common technique may be to insert small blocks of custom-shaped silastin just inside of the tracheal wall, pushing the vocal fold muscle inward (medialization). This typically strengthens the output of a weaker voice but it also reduces the exchange volume of pulmonary function, as the tracheal opening has been permanently reduced. This surgery is named for its proximity to the thyroid gland.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
- sensation of a ringing, roaring, or buzzing sound in the ears or head. It is often associated with many forms of hearing impairment. Noise exposure and inner ear infections are but two predisposing conditions which can lead to the development of tinnitus.
Tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
- large muscle on the floor of the mouth that manipulates food for chewing and swallowing. It is the main organ of taste, and assists in forming speech sounds.
Touch
Somatosensory system
The somatosensory system is a diverse sensory system composed of the receptors and processing centres to produce the sensory modalities such as touch, temperature, proprioception , and nociception . The sensory receptors cover the skin and epithelia, skeletal muscles, bones and joints, internal...
- tactile sense; the sense by which contact with the skin or mucous membrane is experienced.
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic; these tics characteristically wax and wane...
- neurological disorder characterized by recurring movements and sounds (called tic
Tic
A tic is a sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic, stereotyped motor movement or vocalization involving discrete muscle groups. Tics can be invisible to the observer, such as abdominal tensing or toe crunching. Common motor and phonic tics are, respectively, eye blinking and throat clearing...
s).
Tracheostomy - surgical opening into the trachea (windpipe) to help someone breathe who has an obstruction or swelling in the larynx (voice box) or upper throat or who has had the larynx surgically removed.
Tuberous Sclerosis
Tuberous sclerosis
Tuberous sclerosis or tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare multi-system genetic disease that causes non-malignant tumors to grow in the brain and on other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs, and skin. A combination of symptoms may include seizures, developmental delay, behavioral...
- Hereditary disease with multiorgan manifestation. Typical symptoms are epileptic seizures, autism, skin disorders, and renal tumors.
Tympanoplasty
Tympanoplasty
Tympanoplasty is the surgical operation performed for the reconstruction of the eardrum and/or the small bones of the middle ear .-Classification:...
- surgical repair of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) or bones of the middle ear.
U
UmamiUmami
Umami , popularly referred to as savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.-Etymology:Umami is a loanword from the Japanese meaning "pleasant savory taste". This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai "delicious" and mi ...
- Taste of substances such as L-glutamate salts (MSG) that are found in foods like bouillon and other stocks. (reference:Yamaguchi S, Ninomiya K. J Nutr. 2000 Apr:130(4S Suppl):921S-926S.)
Usher syndrome
Usher syndrome
Usher syndrome is a relatively rare genetic disorder that is a leading cause of deafblindness and that is associated with a mutation in any one of 10 genes. Other names for Usher syndrome include Hallgren syndrome, Usher-Hallgren syndrome, rp-dysacusis syndrome and dystrophia retinae dysacusis...
- hereditary disease that affects hearing and vision and sometimes balance.
Ulna
Ulna
The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form and runs parallel to the radius, which is shorter and smaller. In anatomical position The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form...
- Long bone in the arm on the pinky side that goes from the humerus to the carpal.
V
Velocardiofacial syndrome - inherited disorder characterized by cleft palate (opening in the roof of the mouth), heart defects, characteristic facial appearance, minor learning problems, and speech and feeding problems.Vertigo
Vertigo (medical)
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary. The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear...
- illusion of movement; a sensation as if the external world were revolving around an individual (objective vertigo) or as if the individual were revolving in space (subjective vertigo).
Vestibular Neuronitis
Vestibular neuronitis
Vestibular neuronitis, also called Vestibular neuritis, can be a paroxysmal, single attack of vertigo, a series of attacks, or a persistent condition which diminishes over three to six weeks. It is a type of unilateral vestibular dysfunction and may be associated with nausea, vomiting, and...
- infection at the vestibular nerve.
Vestibular system
Vestibular system
The vestibular system, which contributes to balance in most mammals and to the sense of spatial orientation, is the sensory system that provides the leading contribution about movement and sense of balance. Together with the cochlea, a part of the auditory system, it constitutes the labyrinth of...
- system in the body that is responsible for maintaining balance, posture, and the body's orientation in space. This system also regulates locomotion and other movements and keeps objects in visual focus as the body moves.
Vestibule
Vestibule of the ear
-Definition:The vestibule is the central part of the osseous labyrinth, and is situated medial to the tympanic cavity, behind the cochlea, and in front of the semicircular canals.The etymology comes from the Latin vestibulum, literally an entrance hall....
- bony cavity of the inner ear.
Vibrotactile aids - mechanical instruments that help individuals who are deaf to detect and interpret sound through the sense of touch.
Vocal cord paralysis - inability of one or both vocal folds (vocal cords) to move because of damage to the brain or nerves.
Vocal cords (Vocal folds) - muscularized folds of mucous membrane that extend from the larynx (voice box) wall. The folds are enclosed in elastic vocal ligament and muscle that control the tension and rate of vibration of the cords as air passes through them.
Vocal folds
Vocal folds
The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx...
- see Vocal cords.
Vocal tremor - trembling or shaking of one or more of the muscles of the larynx, resulting in an unsteady-sounding voice.
Voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
- sound produced by air passing out through the larynx and upper respiratory tract.
Voice disorders - group of problems involving abnormal pitch, loudness, or quality of the sound produced by the larynx (voice box).
W
Waardenburg syndromeWaardenburg syndrome
Waardenburg syndrome Waardenburg syndrome Waardenburg syndrome (also Waardenburg Shah Syndrome, Waardenburg-Klein syndrome, Mende's syndrome II, Van der Hoeve-Halbertsma-Waardenburg syndrome, Ptosis-Epicanthus syndrome, Van der Hoeve-Halbertsma-Gualdi syndrome, Waardenburg type Pierpont,[5] Van...
- hereditary disorder that is characterized by hearing impairment, a white shock of hair and/or distinctive blue color to one or both eyes, and wide-set inner corners of the eyes. Balance problems are also associated with some types of Waardenburg syndrome.