Taquilalia is a pattern of verbal language characterized by the emission of words at an accelerated pace. Although it can occur at different ages, this pattern most frequently develops during childhood and adolescence.
ANDIn this article we will see what taquilalia is what are some of its possible causes and how we can intervene in it.
The term “taquilalia” refers to excessive speed of speech This speed is characterized by the omission of sounds and syllables, which in turn results in significant difficulty in understanding what the person is trying to express.
Other characteristics of taquilalia are few pauses in speech and motor restlessness, which can be mild or very noticeable. On the other hand, there is not necessarily a semantic or syntactic disorganization of the speech, but rather sounds are replaced by similar ones, due to the speed of speech itself.
Likewise, the person may be aware of the acceleration of his speech, and the difficulty that others have in understanding him, however, said acceleration does not decrease easily despite efforts to control it
Taquilalia, dysphemia or stuttering?
Taquilalia is also considered a type of dysphemia. The latter is a speech fluency disorder, or a communication disorder, characterized by frequent, prolonged and involuntary repetition of sounds, syllables or words, as well as hesitations or pauses that usually interrupt the rhythmic flow of speech.
These characteristics are visible, which is why they are known as primary behaviors. Nevertheless, Dysphemia is also characterized by the presence of secondary behaviors, which are not easily observed but also affect the person’s quality of life. These are manifestations such as fear, anxiety or avoidance.
Dysphemia is considered by some specialists to be a synonym for stuttering, which is why in some contexts both can be called “speech fluency disorder” or “communication disorder.” In any case, as it involves a wide spectrum of both primary and secondary behaviors, dysphemia can have some particular manifestations. Among these is taquilalia.
Possible causes
As with other speech fluency disorders, taquilalia is a multicausal communication pattern. This means that it can be caused by different factors, among which are emotional schemes for coping with stressful situations, parenting styles, the presence of stressful stimuli in nearby contexts or it can also present as one of the manifestations of medical conditions, disability, anxiety disorders, etc.
Likewise, and from the most classic studies of child psychology, some specialists have suggested that one of the main triggers of fluency disorders is external pressure to produce intelligible speech especially because the person faces difficulties that are beyond their immediate control.
In other words, one of the most common triggers of speech disorders is the discomfort generated when the person becomes aware that they are not being understood by others, and forces themselves to improve their fluency as soon as possible, hindering communication again.
Dimensions for evaluation
Taquilalia may represent a problematic speech pattern, especially when it occurs in school-aged children, as it can affect both their relationships with peers and their academic performance. In fact, one of the most common consequences is avoidance of situations that require interaction, for fear of receiving criticism or ridicule. For this reason, it is essential that the intervention begins with a deep exploration of the manifestations and circumstances surrounding taquilalia.
According to Moreno and García-Baamonde (2003) and Prieto (2010), an evaluation of both taquilalia and other speech fluency disorders can be carried out through the following dimensions:
The above is complemented by in-depth interviews carried out with caregivers, teachers and with the child himself. Once the evaluation is completed, a specific intervention process can begin, prioritizing what has been most significant in the different dimensions.
Intervention strategies
After carrying out an evaluation of the situation of the person with taquilalia, it is important to start the intervention with clearly defined objectives agreed upon with the parents or guardians. In a case study carried out with a 13-year-old child, Moreno and García-Baamonde (2003) conducted periodic sessions of 45 minutes each, twice a week. These sessions sought to gradually achieve the following objectives:
Once the objectives were set, some of the techniques used during the intervention sessions were the following:
After 25 sessions of a planned and joint intervention (with family and school), Moreno and García-Baamonde (2003) highlight the positive impact of the intervention, both on the child and on their immediate environments.
Dysphemias: causes, evolution and treatment (2018). University of Valencia. Retrieved August 28, 2018. Available at https://www.uv.es/uvweb/master-intervencion-logopedica/es/blog/disfemia-causas-evolucion-tratamiento-1285881139898/GasetaRecerca.html?id=1285969311828.
Castejón, JL and Navas, L. (2013). Difficulties and disorders of learning and childhood and primary development. ECU: Alicante.
Prieto, MA (2010). Alterations in language acquisition. Innovation and Educational Experiences, 36: 1-8. ISSN 1988-6047.
Moreno, JM and García-Baamonde, ME (2003). Intervention in a case of childhood taquilalia. Journal of Speech Therapy, Phoniatrics and Audiology, 23(3): 164-172.
