Dysarthria and communication in MND

✓Supports this

“Involving speech and communication support early means the options are discussed and decisions planned ahead.”

Gives timely referral to a speech pathologist as the way to get the available options discussed early and decisions planned ahead.

Timely referral to a speech pathologist is vital to ensure early discussion regarding options available and to support optimal decision making and planning ahead.

Dysarthria & communication

!Qualifies this

“How much speech changes, and how soon, varies a great deal from one person to another.”

Agrees the timing varies a great deal: speech is affected early in bulbar onset and only in the later stages for others. It also puts communication difficulty above 80 percent of people with MND at some point, so speech staying largely unaffected is the less common outcome.

More than 80% of people with MND will experience communication difficulties at some point in the disease trajectory.

Dysarthria & communication

✓Supports this

“A communication assessment is usually suggested early, and is useful before speech is clearly a problem.”

Puts the first assessment right after diagnosis rather than at the point speech becomes difficult, and asks for it to be repeated at every clinic visit.

Speech and communication should be assessed by a speech pathologist soon after diagnosis and reviewed at each clinic visit.

Assessment

iAdds context

“Guessing at or finishing someone's sentences can take the conversation away from them, so ask before speaking for them.”

Lists avoiding interruptions or trying to finish sentences among its communication support strategies for MND. It does not address the second half of this advice, asking first before speaking for someone.

✓Supports this

“A means of alerting someone, such as a bell, buzzer, adapted call device or intercom, is part of a communication system, because getting attention is a separate need from being understood.”

Closes its communication support strategies by saying care alerters matter, and names switches adapted onto door chimes and intercoms, pendant-type back to base alerters and pressure buzzers as alert systems.

Care alerters are very important as they give the person with MND a greater sense of security.

Communication support strategies

✓Supports this

“Agreeing a gesture or signal for yes and one for no is one of the recognised strategies for keeping communication going in MND.”

Lists establishing gestures or signals for yes and no among its communication support strategies for MND, alongside asking questions that need only a yes or no answer. It gives these as one option among eight, in no particular order, so it establishes that this is standard practice and not that it comes first.

✓Supports this

“An occupational therapist can work out the best way for the person to operate a call device or intercom.”

Names the occupational therapist as the person who finds how someone can best operate a call device or intercom.

An occupational therapist can help to find the person's best means of operating a call device or intercom.

Communication support strategies

✓Supports this

“Raising these questions early, rather than once communication is already hard, gives more room to choose and to plan.”

Says referral to a speech pathologist should happen in good time so that the options can be discussed early and decisions and planning can be made ahead of need.

Timely referral to a speech pathologist is vital to ensure early discussion regarding options available and to support optimal decision making and planning ahead.

Dysarthria & communication

✓Supports this

“A backup for being understood does not cover getting someone's attention, so an alerting device such as a bell or buzzer is needed as well.”

Closes its communication support strategies by saying care alerters matter, and names adapted door chimes and intercoms, pendant-type back to base alerters and pressure buzzers.

Care alerters are very important as they give the person with MND a greater sense of security.

Communication support strategies