Dysarthria

The following advice may help you communicate more effectively if you've got dysarthria or if you're communicating with someone with the condition.

Tips for people with dysarthria

If you have dysarthria, you may find it helpful to:

• take a good breath before you start speaking
• put extra effort into stressing key words
• speak slowly, saying one word at a time if necessary
• leave a clear space between each word
• make sure you're in the same room as the person you're talking to and face them
• attract the listener's attention for example, by touch or calling their name before you begin talking to them
• keep sentences short and avoid long conversations if you're feeling tired
• reduce background noisefor example, switch off the TV or radio
• repeat yourself if needed

Tips for family, friends and carers

If you're speaking to a person with dysarthria, you may find the following advice helpful:

• reduce distractions and background noise when you're having a conversation
• look at the person as they talk
• after speaking, allow them plenty of time to respond if theyfeel rushed or pressured to speak, they may become anxious, which can affect their ability to communicate
• be careful aboutfinishing their sentences or correcting any errors in their languageas this may cause resentment and frustration
• if you don't understandwhat they'retrying to communicate, don't pretend you understand as they may find this patronising and upsetting it's always best to be honest about your lack of understanding
• if necessary, seek clarification by asking yes/no questions or paraphrasingfor example, say:"Did you ask me if I'd done the shopping?"