Skip to content
muteness

File:Jan_de_Stomme_-_Self-portrait.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ671776· pop 51· linked from 492 articles

Also known as mutism, mute

In human development, muteness or mutism is defined as an absence of speech, with or without an ability to hear the speech of others. Mutism is typically understood as a person's inability to speak, and commonly observed by their family members, caregivers, teachers, doctors, or speech and language pathologists. It may not be a permanent condition, as muteness can be caused or manifest due to several different phenomena, such as physiological injury, illness, medical side effects, psychological trauma, developmental disorders, or neurological disorders. A specific physical disability or commun

Key facts

Medical condition (new).image
Jan de Stomme - Self-portrait.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption
Jan Jansz. de Stomme, a deaf-mute 17th century Dutch Golden Age portrait painter.
Medical condition (new).specialty
Neurology, psychiatry, laryngology, Phoniatrics

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

3,497 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Show 1 more fact
Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~7 min read

Article

9 sections
Contents
  • Causes
  • Biological causes
  • Psychological causes
  • Developmental and neurological causes
  • Treatment
  • Management
  • See also
  • Notes
  • References

In human development, muteness or mutism is defined as an absence of speech, with or without an ability to hear the speech of others. Mutism is typically understood as a person's inability to speak, and commonly observed by their family members, caregivers, teachers, doctors, or speech and language pathologists. It may not be a permanent condition, as muteness can be caused or manifest due to several different phenomena, such as physiological injury, illness, medical side effects, psychological trauma, developmental disorders, or neurological disorders. A specific physical disability or communication disorder can be more easily diagnosed. Loss of previously normal speech (aphasia) can be due to accidents, disease, or surgical complication; it is rarely for psychological reasons.

Treatment or management also varies by cause and this can often be determined after a speech assessment. Treatment can sometimes restore speech. If not, a range of assistive and augmentative communication devices are available.

Connections

Categories