True or False: Impact Through Communication
Boys are nearly 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.
Older research suggested a 4:1 ratio, but newer Australian data shows boys are just over twice as likely as girls to be autistic. Girls are often under-diagnosed because they mask their traits.
We swallow about 200 times per day.
False. We actually swallow about 500–700 times a day - food, drinks and also saliva!
One in three stroke survivors experience communication difficulties.
Yes, it’s true! Communication difficulties can often persist beyond the first 6 months. For instance, for those with aphasia (an acquired language difficulty), problems can persist for ~40% of people.
There are 26 different speech sounds in Australian English.
This is false! There are 26 letters in the alphabet but there are 44 sounds we use in speech like "sh", "oo" and "ng".
When communication devices are the primary mode of communication, people may lose motivation to speak.
Communication devices (or AAC) do not reduce speech; studies show they facilitate spoken language growth!
About 60% of people who stutter have a family member who also stutters.
Yes, it’s true! Genetics research (from reviews to recent large-scale studies) confirms a strong hereditary component.
On average, a child should know and use around 1,000 words by the age of 3 years.
Yes, it’s true! Although this is a rough estimate and vocabulary varies widely amongst typically developing children.
Many language delays are caused by learning more than one language at a time.
Yes, it’s true! Although this is a rough estimate and vocabulary varies widely amongst typically developing children.
Whispering can actually strain your voice more than gentle talking.
For about 70% of people with voice complaints, whispering can overly tighten the muscles above the vocal cords, causing more problems than normal speech.
Celebrating Speech Pathology Week, 24-30 Aug 2025