Apraxia and Dysarthria Treatment in Charlotte NC

Does this sound like your child?

  • Not talking by age 2
  • Speaks primarily with vowels
  • Points to get needs met
  • Speech is weak and breathy

These can be signs of motor speech disorders such as apraxia or dysarthria.

A person with apraxia may produce only vowel sounds or may habitually drop syllables and not be aware of it.  The person may try to speak correctly, but the brain won’t send appropriate messages for speech to start or continue in the correct sequence.

A person with dysarthria will speak with distorted sounds.  Sometimes, the individual doesn’t have enough breath support to make fluent speech possible.  This problem can occur in patients with  cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, and other conditions.

Adults can experience motor speech difficulties after a neurological injury, such as a stroke, brain surgery, or brain trauma.

Using a variety of techniques, Dr. Parker teaches patients diagnosed with motor speech disorders how to speak so others can understand.

Motor programming enables the tongue and lips to move in correct patterns so that clearer speech becomes more automatic.  Shaping helps the patient add  correct sounds and syllables gradually. Compensatory strategies, such as appropriate breathing and phrasing, are also aids for better communication.