Speech issues are commonly seen in neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, stroke, Myasthenia Gravis, Alzheimer’s disease and spasmodic dysphonia. These diseases can cause a number of other underlying problems like weakness or muscle spasms making it difficult for afflicted individuals to communicate.
We can help individuals with various kinds of speech and language disorders:
Aphasia: The inability to form words, recall objects or complete sentences or speak spontaneously.
Dysarthria: Oral motor function is impaired and the muscles of lip, tongue, throat and cheek exhibit weakness. This causes speech to be unclear and incomprehensible.
Apraxia: A condition where coordination of speech is impaired. An individual will have difficulty piecing together syllables and sounds and is unable to use rhythm, stress and other common inflections of speech used to express meaning resulting in speech that may be monotone and unintelligible.
Dysphonia: Dysphonia is the medical term for disorders of the voice: an impairment in the ability to produce voice sounds using the vocal organs (it is distinct from dysarthria which signifies dysfunction in the muscles needed to produce speech). Thus, dysphonia is a phonation disorder. The dysphonic voice can be hoarse or excessively breathy, harsh, or rough, but some kind of phonation is still possible (contrasted with the more severe aphonia where phonation is impossible). Apart from voice therapy botulinum toxin injection can help. Please ask to book an appointment.
Our speech and language therapy services include diagnosis, evaluation and therapeutic intervention to develop, improve, correct and prevent the worsening of communication disorders. We will assess the quality, pitch and volume of the patient’s voice, provide patient education and offer tips for improving vocal skills. The speech therapist will also teach physiologic exercises to enhance the strength and quality of voice, and techniques to optimize speech.
Communication problems impair both comprehension and expression; thus directly influence the patients’ psychosocial well-being. Our speech therapy programs can markedly improve communication skills of patients with neurological disorders, thus helping to maintain optimal quality of life. Click here to schedule an appointment.
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