About the different types of motor speech disorders
A motor speech disorder impedes a person’s ability to speak properly. They might have trouble forming specific sounds or syllables, or struggle to say complex words or sentences. There are different varieties of motor speech disorders, and they vary in severity and symptoms. The two primary types of speech disorders treated in Sydney are apraxia and dysarthia.
Apraxia of speech
Apraxia of speech, or verbal apraxia is a motor speech disorder that is caused by a problem within the brain. This can be a condition that is present from birth, or one that is caused by an injury or stroke. In most cases, those with apraxia of speech understand language, and know what they would like to say, but the brain is not able to coordinate those sounds and sentence structures to the necessary speech muscles. Apraxia of speech causes very inconsistent speech patterns and a difficulty producing sounds.
Dysarthria
There are several different motor speech disorders that fall under the umbrella of dysarthia. They involve the disruption of muscular control from the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, or a combination of both. The information necessary to coordinate and produce speech sounds is not able to make it through the central nervous system to the speech related muscles. Dysarthia speech disorders are often caused by other medical conditions including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or stoke. The muscles in the face and mouth can become weaker over time and begin moving more slowly or stop moving all together. This causes the individual with the disorder to speak in a slurred or mumbled manner.
Motor speech disorders manifest in different ways for each person, and require different types of treatments. Some patients need in-depth lessons to better understand how to make specific sounds, while others respond better to intense repetitive practice with sounds. Motor speech disorder treatments are typically tailored to each individual’s specific needs.
If you have questions or concerns about speech disorders contact your local doctor, who will arrange for you to see a speech pathologist. We‘ll provide you with a straightforward, efficient and very effective treatment plan targeted to your concerns.
