What Is Dysarthria?
Dysarthria is a speech problem caused by a lack of control over muscles in the face and mouth. This problem may occur if the brain is damaged. A person who has dysarthria knows which words to use, but may not be able to make the right sounds.
Signs of Dysarthria
The signs of dysarthria vary with each person. A person with dysarthria may show some or all of the signs listed below.
A person with dysarthria may not be able to do the following:
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Make certain sounds
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Speak whole sentences clearly
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Control his or her tone of voice, volume, or breaks between words
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Realize his or her speech is hard to understand
A person with dysarthria may do the following:
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Speak certain sounds louder than others
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Sound harsh or raspy during speech
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Pause for breath in the wrong places
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Drop or slur parts of words
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Speak slowly or in a way that sounds hesitant or halting
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Speak without moving the mouth
