Dysarthria (from new latin dys-, prefix meaning 'mis-', 'dis-', 'accidental' + greek -arthro, joint) is an injury or symptom describing minor speech impediments, often slurred speech.
The speech is due to some disorder in the nervous system, which in turn hinders control over for example tongue, throat, lips or lungs. Swallowing problems, dysphagia, are often present.
The reasons behind dysarthria can be many; among the diseases are ALS, Parkinson's disease, and cerebral palsy. Dysarthria can also be an early symptom of stroke. More common causes (and thankfully transient) are intoxication and anesthesia.
The articulation problems that dysarthria causes can be treated together with a speech therapist by strengthening the speech musculature. Devices that make coping with dysarthria easier include speech synthesis software and text-based telephones .
