Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease can make communication incredibly difficult for adults. This condition can affect your cognition, speech, and voice, seriously impacting family and work relationships, day-to-day interactions, and general well-being. The challenges involved in trying to communicate effectively can also lead to feelings of frustration, anger, anxiety, or depression. Thankfully, with speech therapy, you can overcome these challenges and improve your quality of life.
Parkinson’s Disease Explained
Parkinson’s is a nervous system movement disorder caused by neurons (nerve cells) slowly degenerating or dying in the brain. In many cases, the neurons that die are responsible for producing dopamine and norepinephrine, two of the brain’s chemical messengers.
The loss of dopamine leads to irregular brain activity, while the loss of norepinephrine results in less control over body functions such as blood pressure. These changes in the brain cause symptoms of the disease. The symptoms, which may begin as a barely noticeable tremor in one of your hands, start slowly but worsen over time.
While scientists haven’t been able to identify the exact cause of Parkinson’s, they have identified several factors that appear to play a role in its onset. These include genetics and environmental factors such as drinking contaminated well water and exposure to pesticides or other toxins such as MPTP, a substance found in some illegal drugs. Age is also a major risk factor, with most cases developing after the age of 60. Additionally, men are statistically more likely to develop Parkinson’s than women, though the reason for this disparity remains unclear.
How Parkinson’s Impacts Speech
More than 90% of people with Parkinson’s develop speech and/or voice problems. These problems, known as dysarthria, usually involve impaired articulation, resonance, speech rate, timbre, or volume. However, only about 14% of those with speech disorders in Parkinson’s disease seek speech therapy, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Speed disorders may also include problems with muscle movement in the face and mouth, and cognitive changes that affect planning, memory, and word retrieval. This can lead to difficulties, such as speaking in a monotone, reduced voice volume, slurring or trembling speech, hoarseness or vocal strain, and the inability to use facial expressions. You may also experience difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), which can affect speech because the muscles and nerves involved in swallowing are closely connected to those used in speaking.
Prevalence and Treatment
With approximately 90,000 new diagnoses every year, Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States. Despite numerous breakthroughs and research studies, no cure is available as yet. However, speech therapy, medication, and/or surgery can help control or reduce the symptoms, increase the patient’s quality of life, help maintain independence, and prevent complications.
The Role of Speech Therapists
Speech therapists or speech-language therapists can play a particularly valuable role if you or your loved one with the disease experiences communication difficulties or has difficulty swallowing. After evaluating and diagnosing patients, therapists create personalized speech therapy plans to treat specific communication issues.
These plans usually aim to improve speech clarity, cognitive-communication skills, language comprehension and expression, and voice quality. However, success often depends on the patient’s active participation. Consistent practice outside of therapy sessions and a proactive approach to using learned strategies in daily life are essential for achieving the best possible outcomes.
Speech Therapy and Parkinson’s Disease
In most cases, a speech therapist will use quality of life ratings, standardized tests, or a computerized assessment of vocal parameters to evaluate the cognitive-linguistic skills of someone with Parkinson’s or another neurological condition.
They will then use the results to create a personalized treatment plan that aims to:
- Preserve as many of the communication skills you still have.
- Save energy by using as many nonverbal communication skills as possible.
- Use assistive devices and techniques aimed at enhancing your communication.
- Do exercises to improve your movements and muscle strength for better speech and communication options.
The treatment plan may include:
- Speech therapy interventions designed to help you speak louder or more intelligibly.
- Weekly speech and voice-enhancing coaching, practice, and strategies.
These interventions and weekly speech therapy sessions may include education, individual speech therapy, and group sessions to help you transform speech from an automatic function to an intentional act. You may also follow research-backed programs like the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program (LSVT LOUD), which is designed to recalibrate your perception of your voice’s loudness to help you speak at a more normal volume.
This program includes intensive one-on-one treatment once a week for four weeks and daily homework and exercises. In addition to improving loudness and pitch variation, LSVT LOUD can improve your articulation, swallowing, and facial expressions while talking.
Speech Therapy and Assistive Technology
Depending on your needs, a speech therapist may recommend and teach you to use assistive technology. Some examples of technologies that can help people with Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions to communicate more clearly include:
- Amplifiers: Your speech therapist may suggest a telephone amplifier or a portable personal amplifier that you can use to increase the loudness of your voice while decreasing vocal fatigue.
- High-technology electronic speech enhancers: These communication devices typically have speech generators or voice synthesizers that convert typed or selected text into audible speech. Many enhancers include touchscreens, predictive text capabilities, and customizable voice options, allowing users to communicate more naturally and efficiently.
- Low-technology tools: Your speech therapists may recommend simple options such as basic typing devices, alphabet boards, or paper-based books and boards that you can use to spell words or point at the first letter of important words.
- TTY telephone relay system: These systems include a telephone and a keyboard, allowing you to type speech that a relay operator will read to the listener. Many relay services now also support real-time text and are compatible with mobile devices, making communication more accessible and convenient in various settings.
Take Steps Toward Improved Communication
While Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions can severely impact a person’s ability to communicate, these impacts are not necessarily a done deal. With the help of a speech therapist, you can improve the way you communicate and make sure your voice is heard.
If you’re interested in taking steps toward enhancing your ability to speak, ask your doctor to recommend a speech therapy specialist in your area or one you can work with online.
This article was written for WHN by Mara Sampson, tinkerer of texts, artisan of content, blogger, and health advocate.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article on speech therapy should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article on speech therapy is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of WHN/A4M. Any content provided by guest authors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything else. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
