89% of people with Parkinson's struggle with speech

Voice problems start early in the Parkinson's dis­ease (PD) progression and significantly diminish quality of life. PD patients typically speak with a soft, muted voice that sounds mumbled and monotone. A hoarse voice is not unusual either.

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Speech-language therapy for Parkinson's

The most effective way to treat these problems is with speech therapy, specifically LSVT LOUD or SPEAK OUT!®. Medicine and surgery rarely help speech disorders. Research-based and clinically proven, LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT! improve vocal loudness, facial expression, speech intelligibility, and communication confidence.

Speech Screenings for Parkinson's

If you are concerned about Parkinson's-related or other speech problems of a loved one or yourself, schedule a free, speech-language screening.
Call 708-599-9500 to schedule.

Michelle is an unbelievable coach, motivator and speech pathologist. I can now speak with proper loudness and with normal facial expressions. Incredible! Iʼm so thankful. —Richard W. of Orland Park, IL

Why is my face blank, my voice so muffled?

Parkinson's disease often damages the feedback circuits you rely on to regulate how loud you speak and manage your facial expressions used to enrich your face-to-face spoken commu­nication. As a result of Parkinson's, you might think you're talking loud enough, but you are not.

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You can keep your voice alive!

A vital first step for restoring your voice is scheduling an appoint­ment with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) to assess your current situation.

  1. Scheduling as soon as possible makes it eas­ier to increase the loud­ness of your voice without straining.
  2. Completing an evalua­tion provides the insights your SLP needs to select the best treatment for you.
  3. Evaluating your ability to swal­low is critical. Your SLP will want to know if you cough or choke while eating.

How are LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT! performed?

LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT! are standardized treatment protocols done in a series of one-on-one sessions with Dr. Michelle Morrison, a speech-language pathologist certified in both approaches. Based on your initial visit, Michelle will help you choose the best therapy for your needs.

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LSVT LOUD

LSVT LOUD involves 16 one-­on-one sessions, four consecu­tive days a week over a total of 4 weeks with daily homework and carryover exercises.

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LSVT LOUD

LSVT LOUD is an effective speech treatment for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. Named for Mrs. Lee Silverman (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment), a woman living with PD, it was developed by Dr. Lorraine Ramig and has been scientifically studied for over 25 years with support from the National Institute for Deafness and other Communication Disorders within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other funding organizations.

LSVT LOUD trains people with PD to use their voice at a more normal loudness level while speaking at home, work, or in the community.

Key to the treatment is helping people "recalibrate" their perceptions so they know how loud or soft they sound to other people and can feel comfortable using a stronger voice at a normal loudness level.

While LSVT LOUD treatment has helped people in all stages of PD, the majority of research has been on those in moderate stages of the disease. LSVT LOUD has also helped people with atypical parkinsonisms, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and has recently shown promise for adults with speech issues arising from stroke or multiple sclerosis and children with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome.

Beginning your work with LSVT LOUD before you've noticed significant problems with voice, speech and communication will often lead to the best results, but it's never too late to start. LSVT LOUD has the potential to produce significant improvements even for people facing considerable communication difficulties.

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SPEAK OUT!

SPEAK OUT! consists of 12 one-on-one speech therapy sessions, 3 per week for four consecutive weeks. Sessions involve speech, voice, and cog­nitive exercises.

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SPEAK OUT!

A nonprofit devoted to helping PD patients communicate more effectively, The Parkinson Voice Project developed SPEAK OUT! and The Loud Crowd. Both therapies integrate education, individual speech therapy (SPEAK OUT!), and ongoing group sessions (The LOUD Crowd).

In SPEAK OUT!, the patient and speech-language pathologist complete speech, voice, and cognitive exercises using a specialized workbook that you will follow during your one-on-one sessions and at home.

SPEAK OUT! emphasizes speaking with intent and converts speech from an automatic function to an intentional act. After graduation from SPEAK OUT!, patients have the option of joining The LOUD Crowd.

It can be challenging to transition from formal speech therapy to maintenance, and the reason the Parkinson Voice Project and Dr. Morrison recommend a follow-up session about six weeks after SPEAK OUT! graduation.

In the follow-up visit, Dr. Morrison will review The SPEAK OUT! exercises and help you establish your daily home practice. Daily home-practice sessions only take about 15 minutes.

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The LOUD Crowd

For graduates of LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT!, we offer The Loud Crowd® group sessions to con­tinue PD patients' education and skills development.

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The LOUD Crowd

Since Parkinson’s is progressive and degenerative, practicing at home and continuous follow-up is crucial to maintaining the improvements you made in one-on-one sessions with Dr. Morrison. Solution: The LOUD Crowd.

The LOUD Crowd provides accountability and education through weekly group sessions. You will perform familiar exercises and practice speaking with intent. This program provides camaraderie, support, and encouragement, what every Parkinson's patient needs.

Newsletter

Our team of audiologists and speech-language pathologists reviews the latest research and summarizes it for you. We publish our newsletter eight times a year. You'll learn about —

● Hearing aids
● Dementia triggered by hearing loss
● Pediatric speech and hearing
● Speech-language therapies
● LSVT and Parkinson's Voice therapies
● Occupational-hearing conservation

Sertoma Speech & Hearing Centers
is a 501(c)(3). EIN: 36-2882864.

© 2024, Sertoma Speech & Hearing Centers

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