Speech difficulty
Also known as: Speech or language disturbances
General information only. Anpheros does not diagnose and does not recommend treatment. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your situation. In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
In short
Many disorders can affect the ability to speak and communicate, ranging from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. These problems can be caused by hearing disorders, voice problems, stuttering, developmental or learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, brain injury, or stroke. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech can be signs of a stroke. If someone has any of these symptoms, call 112 in Europe or 9-1-1 in the United States right away.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. · Source: CDC. Available free at https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs-symptoms/index.html. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC or HHS.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
- ICD-10
- R47
- ICD-11
- MA80 Speech or language disturbances
Description
Many disorders can affect our ability to speak and communicate. They range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. Causes include:
- Hearing disorders and deafness
- Voice problems, such as dysphonia or those caused by cleft lip or palate
- Speech problems like stuttering
- Developmental disabilities
- Learning disabilities
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Brain injury
- Stroke
Some speech and communication problems may be genetic. Often, no one knows the causes. By first grade, about 5% of children have noticeable speech disorders. Speech and language therapy can help.
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
When to get help
In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
What are the signs of stroke in men and women?
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Call 9-1-1 right away if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.
Quoted word for word from the cited source and checked against it; not reviewed by a clinician. Not a diagnosis. 9-1-1 is the US emergency number: in Europe call 112.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Signs and Symptoms of Stroke
Next to it in ICD-10
- R46.5Suspiciousness and marked evasiveness
- R46.6Undue worry and preoccupation with stressful events
- R46.7Talking at length with detail that hides the reason for the visit
- R47.0Difficulty using or understanding language (dysphasia, aphasia)
- R47.1Slurred or unclear speech (dysarthria)
- R48Reading or writing difficulty
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
What people report
Not enough data yet. Anonymous counts appear here only for groups of at least 20 people who agreed to share them.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Speech difficulty?
R47 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Speech difficulty?
MA80: Speech or language disturbances (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- Source: CDC. Available free at https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs-symptoms/index.html. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC or HHS.
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
About this page. This page brings together public information from official sources, each cited where it is used. It is not medical advice, it is not a diagnosis, and it does not tell you which treatment to take.
Treatments. Indications are quoted unchanged from official product information (European Medicines Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). They describe what a medicine is approved for, not whether it is right for you. Approved uses can differ between countries. Always read the package leaflet and follow your doctor's or pharmacist's advice.
What people report. Figures marked "reported by Anpheros users" are anonymous counts from at least 20 people who agreed to share them. They show what people report, not what works, and they are not clinical evidence.
Links between terms. "May be associated with" means the link appears in a cited source. It does not mean you have that condition.
In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number). Do not delay seeking medical help because of something you read here.