Communication support for people with ALS

David Beukelman, Susan Fager, Amy Nordness

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

136 Scopus citations

Abstract

Almost all people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) experience a motor speech disorder, such as dysarthria, as the disease progresses. At some point, 80 to 95% of people with ALS are unable tomeet their daily communication needs using natural speech. Unfortunately, once intelligibility begins to decrease, speech performance often deteriorates so rapidly that there is little time to implement an appropriate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention; therefore, appropriate timing of referral for AAC assessment and intervention continues to be a most important clinical decision-making issue. AAC acceptance and use have increased considerably during the past decade. Many people use AAC until within a few weeks of their deaths.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number714693
JournalNeurology Research International
Volume2011
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

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