5 Ways to Improve Your Slurred Speech So People Can Understand You
After having a stroke, your speech may be slowed and slurred due to muscle weakness, which is called dysarthria. Dysarthria occurs when the muscles that are used for speech are weakened. This may lead to difficulty controlling your tongue, lips, and cheeks, making it more challenging for others to understand you when you speak. Dysarthria can also be caused by progressive neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or ALS. Even if you have one of these diagnoses, there are still some simple techniques you can use so people can understand you better!
Here are 5 quick tips to help you speak clearer in conversation
Think of a time someone asked you to repeat yourself. What did you do? Typically when we want to sound "clearer," we slow way down and enunciate each word. We want to do the same modifications when our speech sounds slurred.
1. Slow down your rate of speech
Speaking at a slower rate will allow people to understand you better than if you were to talk quickly. When speaking fast, we tend to blend our words together, and they run into one another. For example, we often say "whatcha doin" instead of "what are you doing?". Try to speak slowly and pace out each word.
2. Articulate each word you say
Be intentional with each word you say and enunciate or "over-articulate." Focus on each sound within each word, making sure you say each sound. For example, say “choc-o-late” instead of “choc-lit”).
3. Break down your words
For words with more than one syllable, break the word apart. When you have dysarthria, syllables in words will often get blended together or deleted, resulting in others having difficulty understanding you. For example, the word "therapy" is a 3-syllable word, but when we say it quickly, it can sound as if it's only 1 syllable. When your speech is slurred, break apart the word and focus on each sound "ther-a-py."
4. Make “big mouth movements”
Because of the weakened mouth muscles, it's important to over-exaggerate your mouth movements to help elicit each sound production.
5. Use different modes of communication
If your speech is significantly impaired and you need to communicate, try using gestures, writing it down, or using pictures. Just because you're not verbally expressing yourself doesn't mean you aren't communicating! Any way you can get your point across is helpful.
We speak differently based on the environment and people we are around. When you're with friends and family, we may speak more casually and quickly. If we're public speaking, we talk slower and try to be as clear as can be. This type of "clear speech" that you may use during a presentation can also be helpful when your speech is slurred. So remember, slow down, over-articulate each word, and break apart your words so others can better understand you.
If you have slurred speech, speech therapy can be beneficial. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are specially trained to help you speak more clearly and regain your confidence when communicating. SLPs will work with you to integrate strategies like the ones above into your everyday life to meet your goals.
Neuro Speech Solutions is the only speech therapy private practice in Buffalo, NY that specializes in adult neurological rehabilitation. Our specialty is in brain injury, including stroke, TBI, and concussions, as well as neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia. All of our SLPs are dedicated to providing evidence-based neuro therapy that will help you target the impairments you may be experiencing in a way that fits with your daily life. If you are searching for an SLP, give us a call and see what makes our clinic different than the rest!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP
Sarah is a speech-language pathologist with Neuro Speech Solutions. A native of Syracuse, she moved to Buffalo to specialize in adult neurogenic speech therapy. Sarah enjoys working with clients post-stroke and brain injury to help them communicate their thoughts and feelings and return to doing the things they love.
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