Speech-Language Pathology – National (SLP-N) Practice Test

Flaccid dysarthria is characterized predominantly by muscle weakness and decreased muscle tone, which impacts the speech mechanisms involved in articulation, resonance, and phonation. The primary deficit in flaccid dysarthria is indeed weakness, leading to various speech characteristics.

Slow and slurred diadochokinesis is a common feature due to the impaired rapidity and timing of movements needed for speech. This characteristic helps in identifying the dysarthria's impact on articulatory agility.

Nasal emissions often occur in flaccid dysarthria as a result of the insufficient closure of the velopharyngeal port due to weakness in the muscles responsible for this mechanism, leading to air escaping through the nose during speech production.

While low pitch may be observed in some dysarthria types, and a monopitch quality can arise due to limitations in vocal fold movement, another aspect can occur where pitch variability is still retained. However, sustained low pitch and lack of pitch variation are more accurately associated with other types of dysarthria, such as spastic dysarthria. Therefore, the statement regarding low pitch and monopitch is not consistent with the primary characteristics seen in flaccid dysarthria.