Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a condition in which one has difficulty saying words because of problems with the muscles that help you talk. This condition is often characterized by slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand. People with Dysarthria can't control the muscles used to make normal sounds. Dysarthria can affect many aspects of speech and one may lose the ability to pronounce sounds correctly or speak at a normal level.

Many conditions may result in Dysarthria and they are:

• Stroke
• Lyme disease
• Brain injury
• Brain tumour
• Cerebral palsy
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Wilson's disease
• Head injury

The signs and symptoms of Dysarthria depends on the cause and may include:

• Drooling
• Slurred speech
• Slow rate of speech
• Uneven volume of speech
• Uneven or abnormal rhythm of speech
• Rapid rate of speech that is difficult to understand
• Inability to speak louder making it difficult to understand
• Nasal or strained voice quality

This condition can affect both children and adults. You will be at an increased risk of developing Dysarthria if you:

• Have a degenerative brain disease
• Are at a high risk for stroke
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Are in poor health
• Have a neuromuscular disease

Dysarthria is not always preventable as it is caused by numerous conditions. But you can reduce your risk factors with these steps:

• Limit alcohol use
• Control diabetes
• Stop smoking
• Control high blood pressure
• Limit cholesterol, salt and saturated fat in your diet
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Don't use drugs that are not prescribed for your conditions

Contact your doctor if you experience sudden changes in your ability to speak clearly!