speech

[suziQ]

so i can still talk but only a few friends i talk to regularly can understand me. I live alone in an apartment and have a dog. i run into other dog owners and sometimes the speak. I have an text to speech app but usually they are not close enough for me to use it (because of dogs) i try speaking but i doubt they can understand me and not everyone has asked me to repeat myself. How do i convey to people that i can't speak well? i am usually by myself

 

[lgelb]

A card or sign that you have an illness that affects your speech, or alternatively, you don't have to use the TTS app for generating sound -- you can just type the text (or press the button to trigger a macro) and show it to them. So the bit about affected speech could be the first bit of text that you display (saved so you don't have to keep retyping it). Not sure if you are using a phone or tablet, but there are various mounting options, depending on what you bring with you, so they would see the device straight off even with the dogs.

 

[Blackcatsrock]

This is upsetting me right now with speech. I wish there was a badge or something that says I have a speech impediment please be patient. Some days I am good others not so

 

[A1faast]

My pals uses her phone with text to speech app ,still has descent use of her hands, has a saved quote, " bear with me while i use my text to speech ".
But for some reason she still likes to just point at things with me and try to make me figure it out,go figure.

 

[Oxymoron]

I know how you feel. I’ve lost much of my voice over the course of the past year and a half. My family still understands most of what I say but even that has become hit or miss lately. I hate seeming rude by not responding to strangers yet I know they most likely won’t understand my reply. It’s awkward. I too have a text to speech app on my phone but it takes time to use it and normal conversation doesn’t usually allow for such long pauses. I still have use of my hands so I’ve been thinking of getting some small conversation cards laminated and put on a ring just so I have a quick way of responding to people who aren’t familiar with my speech. I would include one explaining that I have ALS and that it is affecting my speech. All we can do is try our best and keep our sense of humor handy just in case. Stay strong.

 

[suziQ]

oxymoron love that idea might work on making some cards.

 

[suziQ]

i got spiral bound index cards and am writing things i need to say on them.

 

[Oxymoron]

Hope it helps

 

[Blackcatsrock]

Its difficult isn't it. I hadn't realised that your tongue and lips do so much. I am trying to remain positive because you look ok on on the outside people obs don't realise you could have a speech issue. I am ok with short sentences to a degree and I hate having to use the phone which on occasion I still have to or going into the chemist and saying what I require.

 

[wishmobbing]

The card idea is great. Maybe add on the default card explaining your speech impedimemt that you can hear just fine.
My PALS hated that professional care givers were often speaking extra loudly once his voice started to fade.
Keeping your humour always pays out. Those text to speech apps can take a long time but good jokes will land even when delayed. It never hurts to have a couple of funny insults and sayings pre-composed for friends. I find the deadpan computer voice meshes well with the saltiest remarks.

 

[Wilson2009]

After trying several text-to-speech apps on my phone and computer without a lot of success (couldn't be heard by a group of people; couldn't be heard in a loud place; took to long to type out and so on), I found whiteboard notebooks on Amazon. They come in several sizes. They include a clear plastic separator between the whiteboards that allow notes to be protected from being inadvertently erased. They allow me to quickly respond without all the typos. I find it actually faster than the various apps I used. However, I do revert to the text-to-speech apps for canned answers I have already created. I also carry cards that explain that I have speech difficulties due to ALS, but I can hear fine.