Dysarthria Ngā raru kōrero

Dysarthria is caused by damage to the brain, or a condition that affects the nerves and muscles involved in speaking. This may be a neurological condition like stroke or Parkinson's disease, or following head and neck surgery that leads to one or more of:

• damage to the speech areas of the brain
• problems affecting the nerves that supply the speech muscles
• problems affecting the muscles themselves.

Whether dysarthria is permanent depends on what causes it. A lot can change over the first few days, weeks and months.

Dysarthria often improves as time passes. Some people recover very quickly, but for others it may take longer. Many people get used to it and see signs of progress even years later.

For other people, it gets worse over time. This is especially so if the dysarthria is caused by a progressive neurological condition. It is important to get support early so you can keep communicating well.

If you have dysarthria, your speech may sound:

• slurred or unclear
• too fast or too slow
• too quiet
• laboured or 'out of breath'.

Your voice may sound:

• breathy or weak
• hoarse or strained
• lower or higher in pitch.

Your healthcare provider will refer you to a speech-language therapist who will:

• look at your medical history and ask about your symptoms
• listen carefully to how you talk
• make sure your difficulty is not caused by memory problems or understanding issues
• watch how your speech changes during your session, or over multiple visits.

Try to relax and take your time. There are various things you can do that may help you communicate better. You can try to:

• reduce any background noise, such as turning off the TV
• move closer and face your listener
• take a large breath before you speak
• keep it simple — use short phrases
• pause often for a breath
• watch your listener to see if they understand
• make sure you are well rested — this will make speaking easier
• use other ways to communicate, such as writing, texting or text-to-speech apps.

A speech-language therapist will work with you and your whānau to help improve your ability to communicate.

Some helpful ways your whānau can support you may include:

• reduce background noise
• reduce distractions and focus on the speaker
• give extra time for conversation
• make sure everyone is wearing their hearing aids and they are turned on
• encourage the use of gesture, pointing or writing to support speech
• check what part of the message was understood and repeat back
• encourage single words or to break down the message into chunks.

If you have not been understood:

• repeat the word or phrase
• rephrase what you are trying to say using keywords
• write the word or phrase.

Speech-language therapists