How to Live With Foreign Accent Syndrome

Can you imagine going to bed one night and waking up speaking with a French accent? Even if you've never been to France? A rare and misunderstood speech motor disorder called Foreign Accent Syndrome emerges in people who often sustain physical blows to the head, resulting in changes to their speech pattern that mimics a foreign language, even if the person has never visited that country. It affects both vowels and consonants and while the affected individual cannot actually speak a foreign language, they do speak with a distinctive accent. Here are guidelines on its diagnosis and treatment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. While Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) can occur through unknown origins or incidents such as an allergic reaction to drugs or chemicals, it is generally the result of a blow to the head or some other head trauma.
2. The speech patterns can vary in tone and type but are typically slow, measured and described as "peculiar." The patient may also suffer from mild memory and attention deficits.
3. Individuals with Foreign Accent Syndrome usually respond well to treatment. This includes speech therapy sessions with a language pathology expert, 3 to 5 times a week.
4. Therapists train the patient to imitate the spontaneous sound of lists containing 32 words for each treatment area. Treatment also includes shaping the phonetics of words and discriminating between a variety of auditory perception techniques.