Garbled Speech and Dementia

While garbled speech doesn’t seem to be directly linked with any form of dementia, we are treating it as a neurological issue we are continuing to investigate. I recounted my concern and the lack of any medical diagnosis a few days ago. Thank you to the many readers who sent me suggestions with the over-riding recommendation to get him back to a neurologist.

I had requested that the Speech Pathologist in Assisted Living visit him — it took almost two weeks and required an in-person follow-up before his appointment was scheduled. That happened yesterday. Her recommendation was that I get my Dad to the Neurologist.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention,” the call begins. Apparently, my Dad’s tongue is not really moving at all and she is going to work to get him into the Neurologist sooner. I expressed my concern with his ability to eat and she will be following up with him today to join him for lunch and see how he is doing.

I’m glad to at least have my concern recognized and on the radar of the Assisted Living community, but frustrated that it took so many follow-ups to get him to someone in the medical community that would / could diagnose what might be happening.

He has seen two doctors in the past month who both failed to find any concern with his speech. I witnessed as one of them checked in his mouth and had him try a few motions. I’m lucky to have two Speech Pathologists in my life to help me understand their job and find an advocate concerning his issue in the medical community. Searching.