Assessment and treatment of progressive dysarthria

Acquired dysarthria is a common communication problem in the adult population. Origins are varied, ranging from stroke to progressive disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, hereditary ataxia or motor neuron disease. Clinical expectations and thus treatment often vary accordingly, looking for improvement in patients with steady state problems such as stroke, as opposed to management of decline in communication skills in progressive disorders. As with many other communication difficulties, treatment evidence is sparse, providing little guidance to clinicians on how best to support their patients, and, for progressive dysarthria in particular, establishing a clear rationale for spending resources on treating these patients. This can result in these patients receiving little speech and language therapy input.
This presentation will focus on the assessment and treatment of progressive disorders, first of all focusing on what aspects of communication and related issues need to be targeted and with what means. I will then present evidence from clinical trials involving patients with progressive ataxia to highlight their potential for improvement despite the neurodegenerative nature of their disorder.