A post from The Speech Therapy Centre
Dysarthria is a term used to describe difficulties in speech caused by weakness in the muscles used in speech.
It is called a ‘motor speech disorder’.
This may affect the muscles you use to move your tongue, lips or mouth, control your breathing when you speak or produce your voice.
Speech may be slurred, imprecise or there may be poor control over the volume, quality or pitch of speech. It may be a struggle to make certain tongue movements or control lip movements.
Some people may only be able to produce short phrases, single words or they may find it a challenge to use speech.
Many people with dysarthria have difficulties with saliva control or difficulties with swallowing.
This can make communication difficult and frustrating and it may affect social interaction, employment and education.
If muscles are weak, they can be prone to fatigue. This may mean that you feel your speech is worse when you are tired.
Some tips when speaking to someone with dysarthria:
• Reduce distractions and background noise when you have a conversation.
• Watch the person as they talk. It can be easier to understand if you look at their mouth to see the sounds they are trying to make.
• After speaking, allow them plenty of time to respond. If they feel rushed or pressured to speak, they may become anxious, which can then affect their ability to communicate.
• Avoid finishing their sentences or correcting any errors in their language as this may cause resentment and frustration. Ask what the person prefers.
• Support the person with the use of total communication, e.g, does it help for them to write down key words to help you understand?
• If you do not understand what they are trying to say, do not pretend you understand. They may find this patronising and upsetting. It's always best to be honest about your lack of understanding. You could ask for clarification by asking yes/no questions or paraphrasing - for example, say: "Did you ask me if I'd been to the shop?"
• If the person with dysarthria is trying to give you a lot of information, they may find it helpful to break this down into smaller chunks of information at a time. Support the use of small more simple sentences.
Is dysarthria a challenge for you?
A post from The Speech Therapy Centre
Dysarthria is a term used to describe difficulties in speech caused by weakness in the muscles used in speech.
It is called a ‘motor speech disorder’.
This may affect the muscles you use to move your tongue, lips or mouth, control your breathing when you speak or produce your voice.
Speech may be slurred, imprecise or there may be poor control over the volume, quality or pitch of speech. It may be a struggle to make certain tongue movements or control lip movements.
Some people may only be able to produce short phrases, single words or they may find it a challenge to use speech.
Many people with dysarthria have difficulties with saliva control or difficulties with swallowing.
This can make communication difficult and frustrating and it may affect social interaction, employment and education.
If muscles are weak, they can be prone to fatigue. This may mean that you feel your speech is worse when you are tired.
Some tips when speaking to someone with dysarthria:
• Reduce distractions and background noise when you have a conversation.
• Watch the person as they talk. It can be easier to understand if you look at their mouth to see the sounds they are trying to make.
• After speaking, allow them plenty of time to respond. If they feel rushed or pressured to speak, they may become anxious, which can then affect their ability to communicate.
• Avoid finishing their sentences or correcting any errors in their language as this may cause resentment and frustration. Ask what the person prefers.
• Support the person with the use of total communication, e.g, does it help for them to write down key words to help you understand?
• If you do not understand what they are trying to say, do not pretend you understand. They may find this patronising and upsetting. It's always best to be honest about your lack of understanding. You could ask for clarification by asking yes/no questions or paraphrasing - for example, say: "Did you ask me if I'd been to the shop?"
• If the person with dysarthria is trying to give you a lot of information, they may find it helpful to break this down into smaller chunks of information at a time. Support the use of small more simple sentences.
Is dysarthria a challenge for you?
It is called a ‘motor speech disorder’.
This may affect the muscles you use to move your tongue, lips or mouth, control your breathing when you speak or produce your voice.
Speech may be slurred, imprecise or there may be poor control over the volume, quality or pitch of speech. It may be a struggle to make certain tongue movements or control lip movements.
Some people may only be able to produce short phrases, single words or they may find it a challenge to use speech.
Many people with dysarthria have difficulties with saliva control or difficulties with swallowing.
This can make communication difficult and frustrating and it may affect social interaction, employment and education.
If muscles are weak, they can be prone to fatigue. This may mean that you feel your speech is worse when you are tired.
Some tips when speaking to someone with dysarthria:
• Reduce distractions and background noise when you have a conversation.
• Watch the person as they talk. It can be easier to understand if you look at their mouth to see the sounds they are trying to make.
• After speaking, allow them plenty of time to respond. If they feel rushed or pressured to speak, they may become anxious, which can then affect their ability to communicate.
• Avoid finishing their sentences or correcting any errors in their language as this may cause resentment and frustration. Ask what the person prefers.
• Support the person with the use of total communication, e.g, does it help for them to write down key words to help you understand?
• If you do not understand what they are trying to say, do not pretend you understand. They may find this patronising and upsetting. It's always best to be honest about your lack of understanding. You could ask for clarification by asking yes/no questions or paraphrasing - for example, say: "Did you ask me if I'd been to the shop?"
• If the person with dysarthria is trying to give you a lot of information, they may find it helpful to break this down into smaller chunks of information at a time. Support the use of small more simple sentences.
Is dysarthria a challenge for you?
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