Speech Problems

[Kim C]

My mother's speech is getting worse. What is it about ALS that causes the speech to get worse and eventually to be unable to speak?

Mom is getting worse on a near daily basis. ALS Clinic on 9/16 so I hope a lot of questions can be answered then.

Thank You

Kim

 

[ottawa girl]

The tongue is a muscle. It can also atrophy.

I have very recently started having speech issues. My tongue feels just plain weird - hard to describe. My swallow is great ( too great), but dislodging food from between cheeks and teeth with a sweep of the tongue is no longer easy and increasingly just not do-able. Oddly, a few weeks ago I discovered I can no longer gargle or easily swish liquid around in my mouth either. I hope tongue atrophy is a slow slow process...

 

[Katie C]

The tongue and vocal cords can both become paralyzed. If she is developing speech issues, monitor her eating carefully as well. Without the ability to control the movement of the food during chewing and swallowing it will be increasingly easy for her to choke on food, or to aspirate it, setting her up for pneumonia. There are many ways out there to help... pureeing food, thickening liquids, etc.

 

[Kim C]

Thanks for the information. She swears she doesn't have swallowing problems but I think she may because she does cough often after drinking liquids. She can still swish around water in her mouth. She does it every night when I brush her teeth so I guess that's good. I feed her her meals and am very careful.

Looking forward to some help from the speech therapist at ALS clinic.

Thanks Again,

Kim

 

[bowser]

My wife was diagnosed in March of 2011 with ALS.
Her only symptoms were a SLIGHT speech defect.

By June of 2011 she took Amtrak alone to visit her son in MI. By then she needed an ipad as it was difficult understanding her.
In Sept of 2011 she got feeding peg put in.

She was receiving half nutrients by eating, half via feeding peg.

By January of 2012 she could no longer speak and was on 1/4 food ..............3/4 feeding tube.
Yet, she had no wheelchair and got around great with a walker.

Her speech left her VERY FAST.
So fast that they regret they never recorded her voice as they miss hearing it.

As of July, she is paralyzed and bedridden 24/7

 

[Katie C]

If she's coughing with liquids I would advise starting to thicken them. You can purchase a product called thicket at CVS or walgreen's. It doesn't change the taste, just the consistency. Glen even put it in his beer!

 

[jellis86]

I am bulbar onset so my speech was the first thing affected. I noticed a slight "off" tone in the fall of 2011. Almost exactly 12 months later, my swallowing started to become affected.
My tongue is almost completely atrophied now.

I can still say some words, but it depends on which consonants are involved.

I had a feeding tube inserted in May of this year as a precautionary measure.

I get about 1/3 of my nutrients, and all of my meds, through the tube.

 

[affected]

so sorry you have to go through this with you mom Kim.

It can be a literal daily loss, it takes a bit at a time but it keeps taking.

My PALS is bulbar onset too, and he has kept the ability to speak, just, most people can't understand much he says at all, I catch about half of it. His tongue is visibly wasting away, and it's hard to watch but I encourage him to talk with me as much as possible and he does persist as speaking was a huge way of life for him in his career, so it's really hard for him to accept losing this of everything.

The swallowing is more of a threat though, so keep an eye on how your mom is with food and particularly cold liquids.

Let us know how you go at the clinic, we are thinking of you.

 

[ltbeauti]

I am a slow progressing Bulbarian. My speech has deteriorated in the last 8 years. My tongue moves extremely slow making it difficult to speak and be understood. I also cannot move food out between my cheek and gum.
I am still eating very slowly. I make sure to sit up straight when drinking thin liquids and remember to tuck my chin before swallowing.
I use my iPad to speak now. Also legs are affected. I use a walker, scooter and wheelchair.

 

[MLP123]

Looking for some answers! Please someone respond! I am a 33 year old female,and I am also 9 months pregnant! I have always been a twitcher in many places,and 5 years ago I got a twitch in my tongue. I EVEN had the atrophy look/scalloped tongue which looks a little worse now very ridged sides. My tongue twitch could be seen and felt constantly for about two months and I felt I needed to clear my throat often. I tend to cough sometimes with spicy foods. But over the years this twitching,and feeling I need to clear my throat came and went about twice a year. back five years ago my ankles look exactly like pics of atrophy but I can still walk on them just fine. My tongue does this about twice a year and then just stops. I can move my tongue all around and have noticed no weakness really besides when I do all these tongue tests. My tongue is now doing this again,along with my left arm and right hand. A few other places here and there as well. I have seen 2 doctors in the past that said I was too young for ALS and did no further testing. I am now scared to death because I am doing this again for about 3 weeks now! Is it possible that I would have these symptoms for so long and ALS not progress much at all? Please someone help with answers I am so scared!

 

[ottawa girl]

Mlp - people replied to you in your other thread. Yesterday.

Evidently you read the answers because you posted a thank you.

Go get the baby's room ready! So much more fun than hanging out here!

 

[MLP123]

I did get one response..but I dont know much besides my symptoms are identical..I am making an appointment today,just wanted to get some answers from someone with similar symptoms or someone diagnosed to see if in fact it could be ALS sorry,not trying to bother anyone

 

[vickim]

Usually the first symptoms are slurred speech and issues with drinking liquids. I am sorry you are so worried. The best thing you can do is go to the doctor and have yours fears quelled. I wish you peace.

 

[MLP123]

thank you Vicki I am trying hard just to relax especially for my babys sake