SPEAK OUT! Speech Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, nearly one million people in the US, and more than 10 million people worldwide, are living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Today’s blog post covers how PD can impact communication, and how SPEAK OUT! speech therapy for Parkinson’s can help.

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. The exact cause of PD is unknown and there is currently no cure. However, researchers have learned that it is related to neurons in the brain that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Common signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease include:

Motor symptoms including tremor, rigidity, and slowness
Impaired balance
Lower voice volume
Small handwriting
Difficulty swallowing

There are medications and other treatments for these symptoms to help people with PD stay healthy. If you are a person with PD or suspect you or someone you know may have PD, consult with your doctor or neurologist about possible treatments. With regard to speech-language pathology, our role is to help with communication, cognition, and swallowing. (We’ve previously written about swallowing disorders in people with Parkinson’s; you can read Caitlin’s blog post here.)

How does Parkinson’s Disease affect communication?

Characteristics of speech in people with Parkinson’s Disease include:

reduced voice volume (for example, a soft/quiet voice)
hoarseness
trailing off at the ends of sentences
inconsistent voice production
monotone pitch

People with Parkinson’s Disease may not notice these changes in their own voice. In fact, it may be a family member rather than the person themself who first notices the communication change.

SPEAK OUT! Speech Therapy for PD

There are two well-known speech therapy programs for Parkinson’s Disease that aim to help people increase the volume of their voice: SPEAK OUT! and LSVT LOUD. Today we will talk about the SPEAK OUT! program, which we offer in our practice. SPEAK OUT! is evidence-based and harnesses the power of our nervous system and cognition to improve communication.

The Parkinson Voice Project

The SPEAK OUT! speech therapy program was developed by the Parkinson Voice Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving speech and communication in individuals with PD. They are headquartered in Texas, but have trained over 10,000 clinicians around the world to offer their SPEAK OUT! speech therapy program. The Parkinson Voice Project offers a monthly virtual “Introduction to Parkinson’s Webinar” where you can learn about how PD affects communication.

SPEAK OUT!

One of the main tenants of the program is to learn to “speak with intent”. This means speaking with conscious, deliberate effort. Speaking with intent uses the intentional, pyramidal motor system which is less dependent on dopamine than the automatic, or extrapyramidal motor system we would typically use.

To get started with SPEAK OUT, first find a speech-language pathologist. SPEAK OUT! is offered either in-person or virtually via teletherapy. The Parkinson Voice Project website has a directory of certified providers on their website, organized by state. (*If you live in Maine or Massachusetts, contact us for a free consultation!)

Next, you’ll participate in a speech-language pathology assessment. The SLP will evaluate your speech and voice, and address any other concerns you might have, such as changes in cognition and/or swallowing. After the evaluation, you and your SLP will develop a treatment plan and begin speech therapy. SPEAK OUT! therapy is typically 12 sessions with daily home practice.

The LOUD Crowd

Finally, maintain the skills learned in speech therapy by finding an online or in-person LOUD Crowd group. The Parkinson Voice Project offers free daily online speech exercises through their website. You can also search the Parkinson Voice Project Directory of providers who currently offer a LOUD Crowd in your area.

*We are hoping to be able to offer a weekly virtual LOUD Crowd through Lotus Speech & Wellness in the future. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form.