UAB Synopsis, Vol. 28, No. 24, June 22, 2009
Parkinson disease often affects patients’ ability to speak clearly, producing a weak, breathy, voice and decreasing intelligibility. An intense 4-week program with speech therapists at Spain Rehabilitation Center can help.
Speech Therapist Jamie Wade, SLP-CCC, says her program uses the Lee Silverman method. It instructs patients to “think loud.” This technique improves the overall intelligibility of speech and enhances the quality of the voice by easing tension in the larynx.
“The protocol is in two segments,” Wade says. “The first is comprised of daily variables. The patient practices a good loud ‘Ahhh’ voice, with sustained phonation, pitch swings, and 10 functional phrases that are relevant to daily life.
“The other segment includes audiotaping a hierarchy of speech tasks such as reading and conversation, then playing it back to help them better understand what they sound like,” she says.
In addition to clinic time, patients practice real-world scenarios outside the clinic.
Although speech therapy clinics across Alabama treat patients with Parkinson disease, UAB’s is one of the few that uses the Silverman protocol. It requires 1-hour sessions 4 days a week, for 4 weeks.
“All our patients say that the commitment is worth their time and energy,” Wade says. “They report great success in communicating in their daily lives, whether it’s being able to order their meal at a restaurant, communicate on the phone, or say the blessing at their table.”
For more information, contact Wade at 205.934.4467 or jtwade@uab.edu.