Dysarthria: Dysarthria a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological injury of the motor component of the motor-speech system[1]

and is characterized by poor articulation of phonemes . In other words, it is a condition in which problems occur with the muscles that help you talk; this makes it very difficult to pronounce words. It is unrelated to any problem with understanding cognitive language. Any of the speech subsystems respiration, phonation, resonance, prosody, and articulation) can be affected, leading to impairments in intelligibility, audibility, naturalness, and efficiency of vocal communication. The term dysarthria does not include speech disorders from structural abnormalities, such as cleft palate, and must not be confused with apraxia, which refers to problems in the planning and programming aspect of the motor-speech system Causes: In a person with dysarthria, a nerve, brain, or muscle disorder makes it difficult to use or control the muscles of the mouth, tongue, larynx, or vocal cords, which make speech.The muscles may be weak or completely paralyzed, or it may be difficult for the muscles to work together. Dysarthria may be the result of brain damage due to: Brain tumor Dementia Stroke Traumatic brain injury Dysarthria may result from damage to the nerves that supply the muscles that help you talk, or to the muscles themselves from: Face or neck trauma Surgery for head and neck cancer, such as partial or total removal of the tongue or voice box Dysarthria may be caused by diseases that affect nerves and muscles (neuromuscular diseases): Cerebral palsy Multiple sclerosis Muscular dystrophy Myasthenia gravis Parkinson's disease Other causes may include: Alcohol intoxication Poorly fitting dentures Side effects of medications that act on the central nervous system, such as narcotics, phenytoin, or carbamazepine.

Symptoms/ characteristics: Depending on its cause, dysarthria may develop slowly or occur suddenly. People with dysarthria have trouble making certain sounds or words. A person with dysarthria may experience any of the following symptoms, depending on the extent and location of damage to the nervous system:

"Slurred" speech Speaking softly or barely able to whisper Slow rate of speech Rapid rate of speech with a "mumbling" quality Limited tongue, lip, and jaw movement Abnormal intonation (rhythm) when speaking Changes in vocal quality ("nasal" speech or sounding "stuffy") Hoarseness Breathiness Drooling or poor control of saliva Chewing and swallowing difficulty Diagnosis/ assessment: A speech-language pathologist (SLP) can evaluate a person with speech difficulties and determine the nature and severity of the problem. The SLP will look at movement of the lips, tongue, and face, as well as breath support for speech, voice quality, and more. The physician may perform a laryngoscopy. In this test, a flexible viewing tube called a laryngoscope is placed in the mouth and throat to view the voice box. Tests that may be performed if the cause of the dysarthria is unknown include:

Blood tests for toxins or vitamin levels Imaging tests, such as an MRI or CAT scan of the brain or neck Nerve conduction studies and electromyogram to check the electrical function of the nerves or muscles

Treatment/ management: You may need to be referred to a speech and language therapist for testing and treatment. Articulation problems resulting from dysarthria are treated by speech language pathologists, using a variety of techniques. Techniques used depend on the effect the dysarthria has on control of the articulators. These treatments have usually involved exercises to increase strength and control over articulator muscles (which may be flaccid and weak, or overly tight and difficult to move), and using alternate speaking techniques to increase speaker intelligibility (how well someone's speech is understood by peers).

Special skills you may learn 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

You can use many different devices or techniques to help with speech, such as:

Computers to type out words Flip cards with words or symbols Special computer programs that allow you to create spoken words by typing words or clicking on symbols Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices that make coping with a dysarthria easier include speech synthesis and text-based telephones. These allow people who are unintelligible, or may be in the later stages of a progressive illness, to continue to be able to communicate without the need for fully intelligible speech

It's important to maintain a relaxed, calm environment. Reduce noise, music, and other stimuli during communication. A few surgical techniques may help people with ALS and dysarthria.

Possible Goals of Treatment

Slowing the rate of speech Improving the breath support so the person can speak more loudly Strengthening muscles Increasing mouth, tongue, and lip movement Improving articulation so that speech is more clear Teaching caregivers, family members, and teachers strategies to better communicate with the person with dysarthria In severe cases, learning to use alternative means of communication (e.g., simple gestures, alphabet boards, or electronic or computer-based equipment)