Dysarthria Essay

Dysarthria, a motor speech disorder, results in the impairment of speech production predominantly due to “disturbances in muscular execution or control of the speech mechanism” (Freed, 2011, p. 2). In general, patients will experience symptoms of vocal fatigue, tremors, slurred or slow speech that’s difficult to understand, and problems controlling pitch and loudness (5). At the diagnosis stage, SLPs notice important signs of abnormal strength, speed, and accuracy during speech movements (Moore, 1991, p. 64). Along with poor articulation, patients often encounter certain difficulties with respiration, prosody, resonance, and phonation (Freed, 2011, p. 4). “A loss of intelligibility due to their impaired neuromuscular function” is common among
Clinicians first perform a speech physiology exam to observe the patient’s motor functions as well as physical structures of the vocal tract during speech production (30). Brain imaging is critical in the diagnosis process because it provides “explanations of underlying sensory-motor dysfunctions” (Yorkston, 1989, p. 34). In addition, by using acoustic instrumentation, clinicians further test the patient’s ability of vowel prolongation, AMRs for speed and rhythm, SMRs for sequencing, movement of jaw/lips, and breath support in the oral mechanism exam. After the test results, SLPs can accurately identify the specific type of dysarthria from the MRI scans and perceptual characteristics they’re presenting. If a patient’s MRI scan shows damage to the basal ganglia control circuit and the most prominent symptom they’re experiencing is rigidity, then their clinician can diagnose them with hypokinetic dysarthria. Flaccid, spastic, mixed, ataxic, and hyperkinetic are other types of dysarthria (Freed, 2011, p.
Clinicians have adopted a more “physiological approach to treatments” by specifically designing an effective therapy plan suited for each patient’s needs (Murdoch, 1998, p. 130). SLPs work with the individual and focus on improving their communication skills; this can range anywhere from strengthening muscles, improving their breath support to speak louder, or teaching family members better communication strategies (Yorkston, 1996). Some therapies rely on biofeedback and surgical techniques to improve the patient’s speech production deficits while other therapies teach effective repair strategies by modifying their utterance length or altering the person’s environment to enhance communication (131-134). “The primary goal in treatment is to maximize compensatory speech intelligibility within the limits of their impaired motor speech mechanism” (Murdoch, 1998, p.