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While many forms of speech disorders are “functional,” there are two primary disorders that are physical: apraxia and dysarthria of speech. These motor speech disorders are also frequently referred to as motor skills disorders.
This article will provide an overview of these two main types of motor speech disorders – outlining what each disorder is, what causes them, and also, the treatment options.
Apraxia of Speech: What is It?
Also known as verbal apraxia, apraxia of speech commonly affects an individual’s ability to articulate the sounds they need to express themselves verbally. It’s a motor planning disorder, so it occurs due to a disconnect between the brain’s neurological pathways, and the parts of the body involved in producing sounds.
Imagine that – your brain knows what it wants to say, but you just can’t seem to produce the words. Experiencing this type of mind/body disconnect would not only be extremely frustrating, but it also prevents the individual from being able to communicate with others. Yes – when we have verbal apraxia, the words we are trying to articulate most often come out as disjointed, slurred, or incoherent noises. That’s if words even come out – some sufferers of apraxia of speech cannot speak at all.
What is Dysarthria of Speech?
Frequently identified as ‘slurred’ speech, dysarthria of speech is a motor disorder that affects the vocal muscles used to produce noises.
When afflicted with this disorder, the individual’s speech organs are either damaged or too weak to operate effectively. This makes it difficult for the affected individual to control sound-making muscles such as their tongue and vocal cords, impacting their ability to communicate verbally.
What Are the Causes of Apraxia and Dysarthria of Speech?
Causes of apraxia of speech
When it comes to root causes, there are two types of apraxia of speech:
Childhood apraxia of speech
Present from birth, this form of developmental apraxia is often linked to children who have learning difficulties, or other communication disorders.
Acquired apraxia of speech
Associated with damage to the brain, acquired apraxia of speech is usually observed after an adult has experienced brain damage – like following a stroke, for example.
Causes of dysarthria of speech
Just like apraxia of speech, the causes of dysarthria of speech can also be either developmental or acquired.
Developmental dysarthria of speech
In this instance, the damage to vocal organs responsible for causing dysarthria of speech has occurred either at birth or during fetal development. It’s often a result of the child being born with cerebral palsy.
Acquired dysarthria of speech
Brain damage experienced later in life – as a result of a stroke, a brain tumor, or the development of Parkinson’s disease – can cause acquired dysarthria of speech. This type of disorder most commonly affects adults.
What Are the Treatment Options?
When seeking treatment for speech disorders, treatment starts with a consultation and evaluation with a qualified speech-language pathologist (SLP) who has completed the requisite SLP online programs.
During sessions with their speech therapist, patients will generally be exposed to either one of the following speech disorder treatment methods:
Contrast Therapy
This method helps speech-language patients – especially those with verbal apraxia – to better conceptualize words and the sounds required to produce them, by pairing similar words that require the articulation of differing sounds.
Oral-Motor Therapy
Especially applicable to patients experiencing dysarthria of speech, oral-motor therapy assists and supports speech-language patients in improving the strength and control of their vocal muscles.
When it comes to motor speech disorders, there are two main variations. As discussed today, these are apraxia and dysarthria of speech.
As we have uncovered, there are distinct differences between the two disorders. Verbal apraxia, for instance, relates to a cognitive disconnect between the brain and the coherent production of sound. Dysarthria of speech, on the other hand, is caused by physical damage or weakness of the vocal muscles, which prevents sound production.
Fortunately, each of these motor speech disorders can be treated, albeit with different methods – such as contrast therapy for apraxia, for example, and oral-motor therapy for dysarthria. If patients are unsure which treatment method is best for them, it’s advisable to consult with a qualified speech-language professional.
