ADULTS
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Motor Speech Disorder
Motor Speech Disorder
A motor speech disorder, also known as dysarthria, is characterized by a reduction in the clarity and accuracy of individual or combined sounds for speech. In adults, a motor speech disorder can occur following a stroke, brain injury, neurological disease, or damage to the jaw, tongue, or throat; in children, a motor speech disorder may be a component of conditions such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
An individual with a motor speech disorder may sound slurry, imprecise, tinny, nasally, or tense in conversation. A Speech Pathologist can help by providing exercises, strategies, and tools for improving and facilitating speech intelligibility in one-on-one conversation as well as in groups in the community
Swallowing
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Swallowing
A swallowing disorder, also known as dysphagia, is a pathology in the coordination, manipulation, and deglutition of solids and liquids as they are prepared in the oral cavity for transport into the esophagus. Swallowing difficulties can occur following a stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, or certain neurological diseases, such as ALS or MS. It also impacts persons who are affected by diseases of aging or dementia. Children may benefit from intervention to promote development of the strength, coordination, and patterns required for eating, drinking, and swallowing.
Symptoms of a swallowing disorder may include: coughing or choking on solids or liquids; taking too long to finish a meal; avoiding certain foods; weight loss; dehydration; and malnutrition. Because eating is a social experience, many people with swallowing disorders may avoid eating out with friends and family, which can contribute to feelings of isolation and depression. Prolonged swallowing disorders can contribute to the development of aspiration pneumonia.
A Speech Pathologist can help by providing assessment, consultation, recommendations, and therapy to rehabilitate swallowing following injury; to reduce coughing while eating; and to help adults and children establish healthy, safe, and efficient swallowing habits.
Acquired Communication Disorder
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Acquired Communication Disorder
An acquired communication disorder, such as aphasia, is a disruption in the expression or comprehension of language, which can occur following a stroke, brain injury, or neurological disease. As a disorder of expression, an individual may have difficulties conveying or elaborating on content in conversation; an individual may also have difficulty forming sentences or may speak in one-word utterances. As a disorder of comprehension, there may be difficulties in understanding what other people say; following conversations or instructions; taking longer to understand words or expressions; or answering questions incorrectly (e.g. saying “yes” when the intended answer is “no”).
A word finding disorder, also known as anomia, is a disruption in generating or describing words when speaking or writing. It is often described as a feeling of getting “stuck” on words, or a feeling of the word being “on the tip of the tongue.”
Dementia is a disorder that affects memory and communication. It can substantially transform the lives of an individual and his/her loved ones.
A Speech Pathologist can help by providing assessment, recommendations, tools, and therapy to promote rehabilitation and facilitation of communication for the individual and for family, friends, and loved ones.