Motor Speech Disorders
Apraxia
Apraxia of speech is a disorder involving the programming of the sequence of muscle contractions required to produce speech. For individuals with Apraxia of speech, the muscles of the speech mechanism are not paralyzed nor weak; however, they have difficulty speaking because their brain damage prevents them from carrying out the sequence of muscle contractions involved in speaking, both voluntarily and on command. When a person has acquired apraxia, how the brain is able to control speech muscles can be impacted in different ways.
It may look like:
Trouble saying certain sounds
Saying words or sounds inconsistently or incorrectly
Striving to put mouth muscles in the right spot
Difficulty coordinating airflow with speaking
Increased errors with longer words or phrases
Slow or choppy speech
Dysarthria
Dysarthrias are a group of speech disorders involving the motor production of speech where damage to the nervous system causes muscles that produce speech to become paralyzed or weakened. The damage may make it difficult to control the tongue or voice box, causing the slurring words, and can make a person’s speech more difficult to be understood. Dysarthria can affect how muscles work in different ways.
It may look like:
Speaking quieter or louder than intended
Changes in speed of speech, slow or fast
Difficulty sequencing more than 1 sound
Inability to say certain sounds
Incoordination/ changes in rhythm (drunken-like speech)
Strained or tight muscle movements
Difficulty turning on the voice
Sounding robotic or monotone
Both Apraxia and Dysarthria can affect speech in different ways for different people. A speech-language pathologist can help figure out where the problem is happening, and partner with you to determine what the best treatment may be to help you communicate more effectively.