SPEAK OUT!
Speech and Swallowing in Parkinson’s Disease
- PD is a progressive neurological condition that affects movement throughout the body.
- Most people also experience changes to their voice, speech and swallowing.
- Voice may be soft, monotone or breathy.
- Speech may be mumbled, with varied rate, imprecise consonants and quick rushes of speech.
- Swallowing difficulties have a range of symptoms – see Dysphagia
What is SPEAKOUT!
- An intensive therapy program specifically designed for people with PD who have a soft voice.
- Focusses on turning speech from an automatic process to an intentional process thereby recruiting brain functions that are less impacted in PD.
- Taught through 12 individual sessions over 4-weeks with follow up and maintenance options through individual and group therapy.
- Commitment of daily practise outside of sessions is essential
Who is SPEAKOUT! For?
- Anybody with PD who is experiencing communication difficulties due to speech and voice changes.
- SO may also be suitable for people with the following conditions: essential tremor, progressive supranuclear palsy, cortico-basal degeneration, lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy.
- Before commencing, an assessment session is completed to ensure eligibility.
Sound Level Meter – (SLM) an instrument that is designed to measure sound levels acurately.
