Which of the following describes the speech symptoms associated with resonatory incompetence in flaccid dysarthria?

• A. Harsh voice with monoloudness
• B. Hypernasality and nasal emissions
• C. Breathiness with short phases
• D. Reduced vocal pitch range

Answer: (B)

In flaccid dysarthria, resonatory incompetence is characterized by difficulties in closing the velopharyngeal passage, which leads to a significant impact on speech resonance. The defining features of this condition are hypernasality—an abnormal increase in nasal resonance during speech—and nasal emissions, which occur when air escapes through the nose during the production of oral sounds due to inadequate closure of the velopharyngeal port. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in flaccid dysarthria as a result of muscle weakness affecting the velopharyngeal mechanism.

Hypernasality can cause speech to sound overly nasal, leading to reduced intelligibility, while nasal emissions can interfere with the clarity of consonant sounds, especially those that are produced in the oral cavity but require closure to avoid nasal leakage. Therefore, the description of hypernasality combined with nasal emissions accurately encapsulates the speech symptoms associated with resonatory incompetence in flaccid dysarthria. The other descriptions pertain to different aspects of dysarthria that are not specifically related to resonatory issues.