About Dysarthria 

 What is dysarthria?  

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder in which the muscles that control the mouth, tongue, lips, jaw, and voice box are weak or uncoordinated, making speech sound unclear, quiet, or monotone. It results from damage to the brain or nerves that drive these muscles.   

  

What Causes Dysarthria?  

Dysarthria can be caused by any condition that affects the brain or nerves, for example:   

Brain injury  

  • Stroke, traumatic head/brain injury, brain tumours  

Neurodegenerative disease  

  • Parkinson’s, Ataxia, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease (ALS)  

Developmental or congenital conditions  

  • Cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome  

Other medical factors  

  • Certain antiepileptic medicines, infections, or trauma to the face/neck  

  

Common Symptoms  

  • Unclear or slurred speech that may range from mildly mumbled to completely unintelligible.  
  • Too slow, or too rapid speech   
  • Difficulty controlling volume (talking too softly or too loudly).  
  • Changes in voice, e.g. strained, hoarse, breathy, or robotic.  
  • Speaking in short, choppy bursts with frequent pauses.  
  • Increased difficulty when stressed or fatigued.  

   

NB: Every individual will experience symptoms differently. It is important to be assessed by a professional to identify how best to support communication.  

  

Useful links  

   

  

 Practical Tips for Speaking Clearly  

Eliminate background noise  

  • Choose a quiet space and face the listener.  

Signal you’re about to start speaking  

  • Raise a hand, make eye contact, so you have the listener’s full attention  

Take a deep breath  

  • Make sure you use good breathing technique (diaphragmatic or belly breathing) and take in as much air as you can before starting to speak  

Speak slowly and clearly  

  • Aim for a deliberate pace; overarticulate each sound.  

Pause regularly  

  • Give the listener time to process and yourself time to reset your breath.  

Use gestures or visual cues  

  • Point, write key words, or draw pictures to supplement speech.  

Set the scene  

  • Introducing the topic of the conversation helps the listener follow what you are saying  

Rest before/after intensive speaking  

  • Fatigue can worsen intelligibility; choose the right time for important conversations  

    

Useful links:  

Communication Strategies  

 Dysarthria strategies for the person