Dumbness

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Dumbness ( Latin: mutitas dumbness; mutus dumb) is a state that is either physically or cognitively conditioned in which a living being cannot articulate itself with sounds or by means of spoken language , although it should usually be possible with the species . In humans, the term primarily denotes the inability to speak.

Depending on the causes, mute has different ICD-10 codes:

• ICD-10 R47 dysphasia and aphasia , not elsewhere classified, and
• ICD-10 F44.4 Dissociative movement disorders (including psychogenic speech disorders )

The selective mutism , the mentally-related silence , has its own ICD-10 -Chiffre, namely ICD-10 F94.0 .

Other forms of dumbness are listed in the ICD-10 classification under the respective physical or emotional causes.

Symptoms and ailments

Muteness is the inability to speak or communicate using spoken language .

causes

Mute can be broken down into several types:

• Congenital dumbness (e.g. due to a genetic defect)
• Dumbness as a result of psychological influences (e.g. mutism or dumbness as a result of autism )
• Dumbness due to physiological factors such as damage (for example rupture) or the absence of the vocal cords or the entire larynx (for example amputation after larynx cancer ), including neurologically induced aphasia

Sometimes we speak of hearing mutism (Audimutitas) and sound-dumbness. Hearing silence means that the patient can hear but cannot articulate himself or herself in spoken language , i.e. i.e., cannot speak . By mute is meant that the mute patient cannot put sounds together correctly into words in the corresponding areas of the brain or does not understand the meaning of what is heard.

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Mute in itself is relatively easy to diagnose . The silent patient does not speak or answer questions. The anamnesis is also used to differentiate , i.e. That is, relatives and relatives are interviewed. Furthermore, the patient may be examined neurologically and by an ENT doctor to find out the cause of the silence.

Dumbness is to be distinguished from other clinical pictures that may resemble this at first glance, namely z. B .:

• Hearing impairment or deafness (" deaf dumbness "); this consequential silence occurs frequently, but it can be trained.
• Selective mutism
• Social phobia with refusal to speak
• severe autism ( early childhood autism )
• Severe intellectual disability
• Apraxia

Good social behavior , intact hearing , normal intelligence , the generally adequate mood and the lack of delusions and shyness differentiate mute from the other disorders mentioned.

Consequences and complications

Muteness has a significant impact on career opportunities and social contacts . Silence is extremely uncomfortable for the patient because he is z. B. can defend against teasing only to a limited extent. It can lead to discrimination , social isolation and loneliness .

Quotes and phrases

• In a figurative sense, "to remain silent" also means something like "to remain silent"
• the phrase "mute as a fish"
• “The safest mute is not silence, but speaking.” - Kierkegaard

history

For the history and exclusion of the mute (and the deaf ) see under Deaf dumbness and history of the deaf .

See also

• Language , spoken language
• Deafness , deafness
• aphasia
• Mutism
• autism

Individual evidence

1. ↑ quoted from Albert Camus : Der Mythos des Sisyphus , p. 38.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !