Dysarthria (ECPG)

- Introduction, scope and audience

➡️Introduction and definition

Dysarthria is a heterogeneous group of neurological speech disorders whose characteristics reflect abnormalities in the strength, speed, range, timing, or accuracy of speech movements as a result of pathophysiologic conditions such as weakness, spasticity, ataxia, rigidity and a variety of involuntary movements (e.g., dystonia and choreoasthetosis). Dysarthrias can affect the respirators, laryngeal, velopharyngeal, and oral articulatory subsystems, singly or in combination. The impact of dysarthria ranges from a barely appreciable speech disorder to a reduction in the intelligibility of speech to an inability to speak. This group of disorders varies along a number of dimensions, including age of onset (Congenital or acquired at any age), cause (vascular, traumatic, neoplastic, and so on), natural course (Developmental, recovering, stable, degenerative, and so on), site of lesion (Many sites in the central or peripheral nervous system or both), neurologic diagnosis Parkinson’s disease, traumatic. In addition, dysarthria is a speech disorder due to disturbed muscular control of the speech mechanism resulting from impaired motor control involved in the execution of speech. It has a neurogenic origin.

➡️Scope:

The scope of the guideline provides a brief overview of the context (eg: current policy and practice ) as well as the key issues that will be considered in the guideline, why the guideline is needed or where it will add value

➡️Target audience:

Phoniatricians and pediatricians.