How to contact us

Speech and Language Therapy DepartmentsOffice hours: Monday-Friday 9am - 4.30pm

University Hospital of North Durham

Telephone: 0191 3332591

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Telephone: 01325 743152

Useful contacts

MND Association Website:

MND Association Regional Care Development Advisor – 08453 751820

South Tees Specialist Team –

MND Nurse and Care Coordinator – 01642 854 318

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist –

01642 818 544

Newcastle Specialist Team

MND nurses – 0191 282 3693

Contact details

Central Appointments Bureau

Speech & Language Therapy

Bishop Auckland General Hospital

Cockton Hill Road

Bishop Auckland

County Durham

Tel: 01388 455200

Let us know your thoughts,

Date Published: May 2017

Date of Review: May 2020

Responsibility Speech & Language Therapy

Reference No: PIL/CG/0468

Version: 1

Motor Neurone

Disease (MND)

Information Leaflet

What is Motor Neurone Disease?

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a condition that affects the upper and lower motor neurones.

Motor neurones are specialised nerve cells that help regulate many of the body’s automatic processes, such as breathing and swallowing.

If you wish to know more information about your MND diagnosis and support available in your area, please visit the MND Association website on

How can MND affect communication?

Not everyone with MND experiences problems with speech, but for some people neurological changes can affect the muscles of the tongue, lips and chest making speech pronunciation more difficult. The medical term for this is dysarthria. Some of the more common changes associated with dysarthria are:

  • Slurred, imprecise or slower speech
  • Sounding like you’re speaking through the nose
  • Difficulties with changing the pitch of your voice (may sound monotonous)
  • Difficulties with changing the volume and strength of your voice (voice may be quieter, soft and faint or hoarse, particularly towards the end of the sentences)

How can Speech and Language Therapy help?

Your Speech and Language therapist can:

  • Offer advice on how to enhance your intelligibility by introducing strategies to yourself and your family/carers.
  • Introduce you to some alternative communication systems which can help you to express yourself if speech becomes too difficult

How can MND affect swallowing?

The swallowing difficulties that you may experience will vary dependent on the type of MND that you have and the stage of your condition.

Swallowing difficulties may include –

  • Poor lip control
  • Drooling and poor saliva management (see next page)
  • Weak ineffective chewing
  • Difficulties controlling food/drink in the mouth
  • Difficulties clearing food/drink in the mouth
  • Delayed swallow reflex
  • Gurgly voice
  • Coughing or choking on food/drink
  • Reduced ability to cough to clear
  • Fatigue when eating and drinking
  • Recurrent chest infections

Reduced nutritional and or fluid intake can, in turn cause:

  • Loss of weight
  • Fatigue
  • Constipation

How can Speech and Language Therapy help?

It is important to identify symptoms of swallowing difficulties early. The Speech and Language Therapist can offer advice regarding swallowing techniques and food/drink texture modification (dependent on the stageof your condition.

Alternatively methods of eating and drinking (e.g. feeding tubes) may need to be explored in the long-term.

Saliva Management

Saliva management difficulties are common in individuals with MND.

Some people with MND experience thick saliva, whilst others experience increased amounts of thin saliva. There are a range of treatment options that can be considered and a hand-outavailable on the MND Association website which outlines some options available. It would be advisable to discuss this with your Speech and Language Therapist and GP to get the best treatment option available for you.