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Benefits of Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

After someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, they are frequently referred to physical therapy to address the physical impairments associated with this disease. Parkinson’s disease does not just impact physical impairments but can also affect speech, swallowing and cognition. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) specializes in evaluating function and providing treatment in the areas of communication and swallowing across the lifespan (ASHA, 2016).

As Parkinson’s disease evolves, changes in speech production and swallow function are expected to occur. Speech changes associated with Parkinson’s disease is called hypokinetic dysarthria—characterized by decreased volume, hoarse vocal quality, monotone (less emphasis on syllable intonation) and short rushes of speech. Patients often state they feel frustrated because their spouses or family members can no longer hear them or frequently have to repeat themselves. Look for a speech & language pathologist who has a certification in Speak Out!® like the experts at Sheltering Arms. It is a program designed specifically for Parkinson’s disease to target speech and cognition that provides a maintenance program to continue with skills learned during the course of treatment.

Dysphagia & Parkinson’s Disease

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, will often occur at some point in the disease process. It is important to recognize these signs to ensure safety with meals and medications. Some signs of dysphagia may include, an increase in coughing or choking during meals, throat clearing or feeling foods “get stuck” in the throat after swallowing. It is important to further assess swallowing function with the assistance of an SLP to determine the safest and least restrictive diet recommendations and provide appropriate exercises to improve swallow function.

It is highly encouraged for patients to complete a formal assessment with an SLP who specializes in Parkinson’s disease shortly after diagnosis in order to provide appropriate interventions to slow the progression of the disease and maintain independence.

Resources:

^{American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2016). Scope of practice in speech-language pathology [Scope of Practice]. Available from www.asha.org/policy/.}

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