Motor Speech Disorders
Motor speech disorders are different to aphasia because they don’t affect your ability to find the words you want to say or to understand what other people say. They affect how you want to say them.
What is Dysarthria ?
A weakness, slowness or incoordination of speech muscles that we use to speak. This is due to disturbances in neuromuscular control. This may affect the muscles that you use to move your lips, tongue or mouth and control your breathing when you speak.
What you might see…
Slurred and unclear speech
Very fast or slow speech
Frustration during conversations
Longer and more complex words are difficult to say
What is Dyspraxia ?
Dyspraxia is an inability to initiate, execute and coordinate movements of articulators. Articulators are what form the sounds we say by shaping the air from our lungs. – tongue, lips, jaw.
It’s when you cannot move muscles in the correct order and sequence that is necessary for clear speech. The muscles may have no weakness or paralysis but it’s difficult to use them all in the right order consistently.
It can also seem like your words and sentences are muddled up.
What can help someone with motor speech difficulties ?
Watch their mouth and face for extra cues on what they are trying to say
If you don’t understand, repeat back to them what you heard and check that you’ve understood.
Encourage the person to try to over pronounce the words
Encourage the person to speak slower
Reassure the person that it’s normal to become easily fatigued and that it’s a good idea to take a rest and practice again later.
Offer the person to write it down if they are able.
Reduce distractions and background noises.