What are the two major categories of motor speech disorders?

The two major categories of motor speech disorders are indeed apraxia and dysarthria. Apraxia refers to a neurological condition that affects the planning and coordination of speech movements, leading to difficulties in producing speech sounds despite having the physical ability to do so. This may manifest as inconsistent errors in speech production, where a person might be able to say a word one moment and struggle with it the next.

On the other hand, dysarthria is characterized by impaired muscle control over the speech mechanisms, which can result in slurred or slow speech, making it difficult to articulate clearly. This disorder can arise from various neurological conditions, affecting the strength, speed, or coordination of the movements necessary for speech.

These two conditions are fundamental in the field of speech-language pathology as they directly affect a person's ability to communicate verbally, distinguishing them from other speech-related issues that may not involve the motor aspects of speech production. Other options like stuttering and cluttering relate to fluency disorders, while dysphagia pertains to swallowing difficulties and aphasia concerns language impairment, not focused specifically on the motor execution of speech. Voice disorders and resonance disorders also differ in that they do not primarily focus on the mechanics of articulation and speech production seen with apraxia