If you wish to know more information about you to express yourself if speech It is important to identify symptoms of your MND diagnosis and support available becomes too difficult swallowing difficulties early. The Speech in your area, please visit the MND and Language Therapist can offer advice Association website on regarding swallowing techniques and How can MND affect swallowing? food/drink texture modification (dependent The swallowing difficulties that you may How can MND affect on the stage of your condition. experience will vary dependent on the type communication? of MND that you have and the stage of your Alternatively methods of eating and Not everyone with MND experiences condition. drinking (e.g. feeding tubes) may need to problems with speech, but for some people be explored in the long-term. neurological changes can affect the Swallowing difficulties may include – muscles of the tongue, lips and chest Saliva Management making speech pronunciation more difficult. Poor lip control The medical term for this is dysarthria. Drooling and poor saliva management Saliva management difficulties are common Some of the more common changes (see next page) in individuals with MND. associated with dysarthria are: Weak ineffective chewing Difficulties controlling food/drink in the Some people with MND experience thick Slurred, imprecise or slower speech mouth saliva, whilst others experience increased Sounding like you’re speaking through Difficulties clearing food/drink in the amounts of thin saliva. There are a range the nose mouth of treatment options that can be considered Difficulties with changing the pitch of Delayed swallow reflex and a hand-out available on the MND your voice (may sound monotonous) Gurgly voice Association website which outlines some Difficulties with changing the volume Coughing or choking on food/drink options available. It would be advisable to and strength of your voice (voice may Reduced ability to cough to clear discuss this with your Speech and be quieter, soft and faint or hoarse, Fatigue when eating and drinking Language Therapist and GP to get the best particularly towards the end of the Recurrent chest infections treatment option available for you. sentences) Reduced nutritional and or fluid intake can, How can Speech and Language in turn cause: Therapy help? Loss of weight Your Speech and Language therapist can: Fatigue Constipation Offer advice on how to enhance your intelligibility by introducing strategies to How can Speech and Language yourself and your family/carers. Therapy help? Introduce you to some alternative communication systems which can help
If you wish to know more information about your MND diagnosis and support available in your area, please visit the MND Association website on How can MND affect communication? Not everyone with MND experiences problems with speech, but for some people neurological changes can affect the muscles of the tongue, lips and chest making speech pronunciation more difficult. The medical term for this is dysarthria. Some of the more common changes associated with dysarthria are: Slurred, imprecise or slower speech Sounding like you’re speaking through the nose Difficulties with changing the pitch of your voice (may sound monotonous) Difficulties with changing the volume and strength of your voice (voice may be quieter, soft and faint or hoarse, particularly towards the end of the sentences) How can Speech and Language Therapy help? Your Speech and Language therapist can: Offer advice on how to enhance your intelligibility by introducing strategies to yourself and your family/carers. Introduce you to some alternative communication systems which can help you to express yourself if speech becomes too difficult How can MND affect swallowing? The swallowing difficulties that you may experience will vary dependent on the type of MND that you have and the stage of your condition. Swallowing difficulties may include – Poor lip control Drooling and poor saliva management (see next page) Weak ineffective chewing Difficulties controlling food/drink in the mouth Difficulties clearing food/drink in the mouth Delayed swallow reflex Gurgly voice Coughing or choking on food/drink Reduced ability to cough to clear Fatigue when eating and drinking Recurrent chest infections Reduced nutritional and or fluid intake can, in turn cause: Loss of weight Fatigue Constipation How can Speech and Language Therapy help? It is important to identify symptoms of swallowing difficulties early. The Speech and Language Therapist can offer advice regarding swallowing techniques and food/drink texture modification (dependent on the stage of your condition. Alternatively methods of eating and drinking (e.g. feeding tubes) may need to be explored in the long-term. Saliva Management Saliva management difficulties are common in individuals with MND. Some people with MND experience thick saliva, whilst others experience increased amounts of thin saliva. There are a range of treatment options that can be considered and a hand-out available on the MND Association website which outlines some options available. It would be advisable to discuss this with your Speech and Language Therapist and GP to get the best treatment option available for you.
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