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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of dysarthria vary, depending on the underlying cause, and may include:
- Slurred speech
- Slow rate of speech
- Inability to speak louder than a whisper
- Rapid rate of speech that is difficult to understand
- Nasal, raspy or strained voice quality
- Uneven or abnormal rhythm of speech
- Uneven volume of speech
- Monotone speech
- Difficulty moving your tongue or facial muscles
- Drooling
When to see a doctor
Dysarthria can be sign of a serious underlying condition. See your doctor if you experience sudden or unexplained changes in your ability to speak clearly.
References
- Dysarthria. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/dysarthria/. Accessed Feb. 27, 2012.
- Goetz CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:79.
- Dysarthria: Causes and number. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/DysarthriaCauses.htm. Accessed Feb. 27, 2012.
- Treatment efficacy summary — Dysarthria (neurological motor speech impairment). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. http://www.asha.org/public/EfficacySummaries/. Accessed Feb. 27, 2012.
- Cohen SM, et al. Palliative treatment of dysphonia and dysarthria. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2009;42:107.
- Ropper AH, et al. Adams & Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=54. Accessed Feb. 28, 2012.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Feb. 28, 2012.
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