Speech Symptoms: Causes

What causes speech symptoms?

Speech symptoms may be related to developmental problems (especially in children), or may occur later in life for reasons not known. Some speech symptoms, such as stuttering or problems with voice or comprehension, may be treated with speech therapy.

Speech symptoms may also arise from a problem with the mouth, such as a swollen tongue, or an infection, such as the common cold, which may affect the nose. In the elderly, speech symptoms may be related to dementia. Muscle weakness may also result in speech symptoms.

In very severe cases, speech symptoms may arise from brain damage, such as from traumatic brain injury or stroke.

Common causes of speech symptoms

Speech symptoms are commonly caused by developmental or mild causes including:

• Common cold (viral respiratory infection)
   
• Dementia
   
• Infection or irritation of the throat or mouth
   
• Injury to the mouth or throat
   
• Other causes not known
   
• Speech disorders such as dysarthria (problem with control of the muscles used for speech)
   
• Surgery on the mouth or throat

Serious causes of speech symptoms

Speech symptoms can also be caused by more serious conditions, including some genetic disorders, such as:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease; a severe neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness and disability)
   
• Huntington’s disease (an inherited degenerative disorder of the brain)
   
• Oral cancer
   
• Throat cancer

Life-threatening causes of speech symptoms

• Brain tumor
   
• Infection of the brain
   
• Stroke
   
• Transient ischemic attack (temporary stroke-like symptoms that may be a warning sign of an impending stroke)
   
• Traumatic brain injury

Questions for diagnosing the cause of speech symptoms

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your speech symptoms including:

When did you first experience speech symptoms?

• Are you experiencing any confusion?
   
• Are you experiencing any pain?
   
• Do you have any muscle weakness?
   
• Do you have any other symptoms?
   
• Do you have difficulty comprehending speech?
   
• Do you have difficulty producing speech?
   
• Have you had a recent illness?
   
• Have you had a recent injury to the head or mouth?

What are the potential complications of speech symptoms?

Many speech symptoms are mild. Mild symptoms or those related to developmental causes may resolve spontaneously or improve with speech therapy. In other cases, however, speech symptoms may be a sign of a life-threatening condition. Because speech symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

• Brain damage
   
• Impaired balance and coordination
   
• Inability to perform daily activities
   
• Paralysis
   
• Seizures and tremors
   
• Spread of cancer
   
• Unconsciousness and coma