A child is brought to the speech therapist because she does not pronounce high-pitched sounds (like "s"). Name the sensory organ that is most likely the problem and what area of the organ is being affected?
She also experiences extreme dizziness and loss of balance when she plays on the merry-go-round or does somersaults. Is the same sensory organ causing this problem as well? Briefly explain why or why not.
Although I am not a speech therapist or ENT physician, the first might be problems in the end of the organ of Corti in the cochlea that responds to high frequencies.
The second problem is most likely the semicircular canals.
However, you might consider if there are problems in the fluids that are common to both organs.
The sensory organ that is most likely the problem in the child's case is the ear, specifically the inner ear. More precisely, the issue lies with the cochlea, a spiral-shaped structure within the inner ear that is responsible for detecting and transmitting sound signals to the brain.
Regarding the second problem of extreme dizziness and loss of balance during activities like playing on the merry-go-round or doing somersaults, it is unlikely to be caused by the same sensory organ. In this case, the organ primarily responsible for detecting changes in position and maintaining balance is the vestibular system, which is also located within the inner ear but is distinct from the cochlea.
The vestibular system consists of the vestibular apparatus, which includes three semicircular canals and two otolith organs, the utricle and saccule. These structures detect the position and movement of the head, allowing us to maintain balance and stability. When there are issues with the vestibular system, it can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, and loss of balance.
Although both the cochlea (responsible for hearing) and the vestibular system (responsible for balance) are located within the inner ear, they have separate functions and are not directly linked. Therefore, the child's issue with high-pitched sound pronunciation is likely related to the cochlea, while the experiencing of extreme dizziness and loss of balance is likely due to a problem within the vestibular system.