Myth-Busting Mondays: How many children have a communication difficulty?

Poll

How many children have a communication difficulty?

Sometimes a communication difficulty isn't seen as important as a physical or medical difficulty - but it really can be. Communication difficulties can affect a children's well-being, social, and educational development.

Communication difficulties can include speech, language, and interactive aspects which may be seen in conditions such as Autism, learning difficulties or may occur in isolation to other conditions.

Today's main question: How many children have a communication difficulty? Use the poll to vote which figure you think is the correct answer :smile:

Do you have a communication difficulty or know someone who does? Do you think communication difficulties are overlooked? Post your thoughts and experiences below!

If you have any questions or want to find out more about communication, please ask me either on this thread or via PM :h:

Reply 1

shawn_o1

It "should" be 1 in 100, as that was the rate of autism diagnosis in the 1970's, but now thanks to the internet and video games becoming an excuse not to talk to people (especially during school), it could be as high as 1 in 5. Not to mention how poor parenting has become in general, with more people less appreciative of their parents or only getting their lives together after moving away from their parents.

Reply 2

Tiger Rag

Original post by shawn_o1

You're completely ignoring things like hearing impairments and developemental delays.

Communication is about far more than speech. One way my communication difficulties affect me is by a condition called Auditory Processing Disorder. Whilst I can generally hear, (I'm slightly deaf in one ear) my brain doesn't process sound properly. For example, P can sometimes sound like T.

I have a cousin whose child was born 10 weeks early. At the age of 15 months, he was only saying about 3 words.

Reply 3

BurstingBubbles

Life & Style Forum Helper

Original post by shawn_o1

As Tiger Rag has explained, this is for communication difficulties in general, not just Autism which was an example. As far as I know the percentage for Autism is still 1% (1 in 100). That gives a clue that communication difficulties in general is a higher percentage!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

claireestelle

I d guess 1 in 4, if we re considering any kind of communication difficulty.

Reply 5

Tiger Rag

1 in 5 seems a bit high for me. I think it's more nearer 1 in 10.

Reply 6

TimidPhoenix

I regret picking my answer. I believe that the figures are closer to 1 in 20 or 1 in 50 children. In my opinion, with the awareness of communication difficulties increasing, I don't think the number of children with communication difficulties is rising. I think that it's becoming easier to identify them due to heightened awareness.

I myself have autism as do a couple of my closest friends. One of my other friends has a stammer. I didn't start speaking until I was three years old. Both my friend with autism and I still struggle to detect sarcasm and understand metaphors and jokes.

Reply 7

Interrobang

Original post by TimidPhoenix

You're possibly right to a certain extent, but in other ways the numbers (at least of children with learning difficulties) is increasing. This is because children who previously would not have survived birth (say if they were premature) are living, which can lead to difficulties after birth. Whether these children with potentially more complex difficulties are included in these particular stats, I don't know!

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

I have autism so my communication skills suck, I would say, however, that communication skill could be caused by anything such as shyness, selective mutism, introversion and more. So I believe it could be as high as 1 in 5. It is like reading, it seems popular/not a problem but any children can not or have difficulties reading.

Reply 9

abc:)

Original post by shawn_o1

That's a bit mean, putting all the blame on parents or technology or basically inferring that there is any blame in the first place. Diagnoses for autism have improved since the 70s and other more minor forms of communication disorders have begun to be recognised. You make a lot of huge assumptions in what you're saying. Over-reliance on technology may affect some children's ability to communicate to the extent that you could call it a disorder but I doubt that this is a big enough effect to be the cause of any change in statistics.

PS I voted 1 in 10 - based on the amount of people I've met and/or been friends with who I thought may potentially have a mild communication disorder, as well as those I know who have been diagnosed...plus when you start to think about all the ways it can manifest it does add up

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 10

BB8

Original post by Tiger Rag

Would this affect making out what people are saying? For example I can generally hear things around me but have trouble working out distinct sounds & usually require subtitles when watching TV/films even when the volume is high

Reply 11

username2393237

Original post by shawn_o1

It "should" be 1 in 100, as that was the rate of autism diagnosis in the 1970's, but now thanks to the internet and video games becoming an excuse not to talk to people especially during school

), it could be as high as 1 in 5. Not to mention how poor parenting has become in general, with more people less appreciative of their parents or only getting their lives together after moving away from their parents.

I don't agree with this at all. Choosing not to talk is hardly a disorder. Children escaped into TV, movies, toys, books etc in the past anyway.

I think the initial question is far too broad. You can't really compare slight shyness with a hearing disorder or autism etc.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

Tiger Rag

Original post by BB8

Yes it does affect making out what people are saying. I've sometimes sat there and thought "did you really just say that?" Only to think and realise that no, they didn't really just say that.

I was watching something last week. You know that Americans call A&E ER? I kept hearing it as Eeyore (as in the Winnie the pooh character) and kept getting really confused.

Reply 13

BurstingBubbles

Life & Style Forum Helper

Great replies and poll voting! :biggrin:

The answer to this week's question: How many children have a communication difficulty? is... 1 in 10 according to I CAN! That means 2 or 3 children per classroom have a communication difficulty.

The most voted for option on the poll was 1 in 20, do you think people have enough awareness of communication difficulties? If not, how can we change this?

Spoiler

Reply 14

Another

Original post by BurstingBubbles

The most voted for option on the poll was 1 in 20, do you think people have enough awareness of communication difficulties?

I honestly have no clue what a communication difficulty is :frown:

Reply 15

Interrobang

Original post by BurstingBubbles

Great replies and poll voting! :biggrin:

Spoiler

I got it right, which is good in one way (yay, I win), but bad in the sense that it's so common. I know that there is a big push in the early years about supporting the development of communication, and sometimes it's a delay more than a disorder, so children catch up. I think parents play an important part in this, both in terms of supporting communication development and in terms of identifying it, but of course it's not just parents