HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Helping someone with dysarthria communicate
Te āwhina i tangata me ngā raru kōrero kia whakawhitiwhiti
There are various strategies you can use when you are communicating with someone with dysarthria.
- Encourage all communication attempts and give the person your full attention.
- Reduce background noise. For example, turn off the TV or move to a quieter place.
- Move closer and face each other.
- Be patient – allow time for them to speak.
- Establish the general topic of conversation first.
- Sometimes it helps to get the person to say key words or to break up what they are saying into smaller sentences, taking a breath in between.
- Notice when they are becoming tired and encourage them to rest. Their speech will be clearer when they are well rested.
- Let them know if you do not understand. Do not pretend you do understand as this will cause frustration.
- Repeat what you do understand and ask questions to clarify the words you do not understand. This helps to save energy.
- If necessary, ask for a message to be repeated.
- Ask what strategies the person with dysarthria finds helpful. This may reduce frustration.
- Save important conversations for a time when the person is most alert and willing to talk.
Some of the following strategies may be useful for a person with dysarthria. Ask their speech-language therapist what you should encourage the person with dysarthria to do.
Speak slowly.
Speak loudly ("think loud").
Exaggerate the sounds in each word.
Use gesture, pointing or writing.
Use their communication chart or device.
Written by speech-language therapists, Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Waitaha Canterbury. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2023.
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See also:
Review key: HISCD-79694
