What Is Dysarthria?
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological injury of the motor component of the motor-speech system.
Dysarthria results in weakening of the muscles used for speech and therefore can result in slurry speech.
Causes Of Dysarthria:
Dysarthria can result from a number of conditions, which include the following:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Brain injury
- Brain tumor
- Cerebral palsy
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Head injury
- Huntington’s disease
- Lyme disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Myasthenia gravis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- Wilson’s disease
- Alcohol intoxication
Symptoms Of Dysarthria:
Some common symptoms may include the following:
- Slurred speech
- Slow speech
- Inability to speak louder than a whisper or speaking too loudly
- Rapid speech that is difficult to understand
- Nasal, raspy or strained voice
- Uneven or abnormal speech rhythm
- Uneven speech volume
- Monotone speech
- Difficulty moving your tongue or facial muscles
Diagnosis Of Dysarthria:
The following tests and exams help in diagnosing Dysarthria:
- Blood tests for toxins or vitamin levels
- Imaging tests
- MRI
- CT scans
- Nerve conduction studies and electromyogram to check the electrical function of the nerves or muscles
- Swallowing study, which may include x-rays and drinking a special liquid
- Laryngoscopy
- Neuropsychological tests.
- Brain biopsy
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
Treatment Of Dysarthria:
The only treatment available for Dysarthria is speech and language therapy.
Skills learnt in this therapy include:
- Safe chewing or swallowing techniques, if needed
- To avoid conversations when you are tired
- To repeat sounds over and over again so you can learn mouth movements
- To speak slowly, use a louder voice, and pause to make sure other people understand
- What to do when you feel frustrated while speaking
By : Natural Health News
