How might your Speech be affected with this Progressive Disorder?
Motor Neuron Disease is commonly characterised by muscle weakness, as the nerves responsible for movement are affected- the motor neurons, which can lead to difficulty with communication and swallowing.
In this blog, we will address communication difficulties which may arise, and what you can do about these.....
We can communicate via several means:
Speaking
Writing
Drawing
Gesturing/Actions
Facial Expressions
Our muscles support us in doing all of the above, and therefore it is likely that weakness to the muscles responsible for our tongue, lips, jaw, hands and fingers will impact on the ability to speak, write, draw, produce gesture and facial expressions.
A person with Motor Neuron disease is likely to present with a spastic/flaccid dysarthria- which is slurred speech due to reduced strength and reduced coordination of the muscles required for speech.
Speech may eventually become difficult to produce, and writing may provide a good alternative whilst upper limb function remains, which one can use to communicate with Apps using a voice activation program.
No upper limb function?
Cognition (processing, memory and retention abilities) intact?
You may wish to trial an eye gaze device (selecting letters with your eyes to spell out words or to select symbols/pictures), or a partner assisted alphabet chart (the person you are communicating with can point to letters on an alphabet chart, giving you the opportunity to indicate yes/no with head movements, or an established way of demonstrating yes/no which works for you).
Prior to your speech deteriorating, your Speech and Language therapist may try to encourage banking your voice; you record your voice as it is, to enable you to use this if and when you no longer have voice, and for friends and families to hear your voice when you communicate in the future using your previously banked voice.
Check out the MNDA Association for more information on Motor Neuron Disease and communication.
L A Mark Speech therapy
Leeanne Mark
Speech and Language therapist
Komentar