1. Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Presented by Andrea Peake, MS, CCC-SLP
Supervisor, SIRH Outpatient Rehab Services
Louisville Parkinson’s Symposium
October 10, 2017

3. Main Components of Speech Therapy
Voice
Swallowing
Cognition

4. Voice
Dysarthria
Soft/muffled voice
Less precise articulation of words
Difficulty with fluency or stuttering

5. Treatment for Voice

6. LSVT LOUD
Intensive, behavioral treatment program specifically designed for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
16 sessions in one month
Intent to help increase intelligibility and vocal loudness
~80% of patients with PD exhibit decreased loudness and unclear, rapid speech

7. 5 Concepts of LSVT LOUD Focus on the Voice Focus on High Effort
Focus on Intensive Treatment
Focus on Calibration (to use louder voice automatically in daily life)
Focus on Quantification (therapist provides feedback and uses objective methods to show improvement)

8. LSVT Methods Used 1. Daily Tasks (in + outside of therapy)
Maximum duration of sustained vowel
Maximum pitch changes
Maximum functional speech loudness

9. LSVT Methods (cont.) 2. Hierarchical Speech Loudness Tasks
Progressing from word/phrase to sentence to reading and eventually to conversation level

10. LSVT Methods (cont.) 3. Carryover Activities
Provides the patient with the opportunity to implement their LOUD voice into daily life

11. Treatment for Swallowing

12. Dysphagia Definition: difficulty swallowing Signs
Food or medicine sticking in the throat
Couching (when eat/drinking)
Avoiding certain foods
**Can lead to aspiration pneumonia!

13. Swallowing Treatment/Tips
Take medications 1 hour prior to meals
Modify food consistencies
Allow adequate time to eat
Smaller pieces of food/pills
Take meds in applesauce…

14. Swallowing Treatment/Tips
Try “easy grip utensils”
Speech therapy exercises or modified swallow
Electrical Stimulation
May need Video Function Swallow Test

15. Excess Saliva To combat drooling:
Form habit of consciously swallowing every few minutes
Carry a bottle of water and sip every few minutes

16. Treatment for Cognition

17. Cognition Treatment Signs Forgetfulness Disoriented
Family seems to have to correct or help with words
Testing
Treatment
Tips