Dysarthria can occur after stroke due to weakness or paralysis in the muscles controlling mouth and facial movements or the respiratory system. Symptoms may include slurred speech, abnormal rate of speech (slow or fast), speaking softly, impaired pitch, impaired rhythm of speech, impaired quality of speech, drooling, and decreased mouth movements. Speech impairment can make it difficult to communicate effectively and may affect interaction with family and friends, especially in social situations.

Causes
In a person with dysarthria, a nerve, brain, or muscle disorder makes it difficult to use or control the muscles of the mouth, tongue, larynx, or vocal cords. The muscles may be weak or completely paralyzed. Or, it may be hard for the muscles to work together. Dysarthria may be the result of brain damage due to:
-- Myasthenia Gravis (MG)
-- Brain injury
-- Brain tumor
-- Dementia
-- Disease that causes the brain to lose its function (degenerative brain disease)
-- Multiple Sclerosis
-- Parkinson Disease
-- Stroke

Treatment
You may need to be referred to a speech and language therapist for testing and treatment. Special skills you may learn include:
-- Safe chewing or swallowing techniques, if needed
-- To avoid conversations when you are tired
-- To repeat sounds over and over again so you can learn mouth movements
-- To speak slowly, use a louder voice, and pause to make sure other people understand
-- What to do when you feel frustrated while speaking

You can use many different devices or techniques to help with speech, such as:
-- Computers to type out words
-- Flip cards with words or symbols
-- Special computer programs that allow you to create spoken words by typing words or clicking on symbols