Wallace: WT offers free help with voice disorders

February 27, 2016

By Ann Wallace

Ann Wallace

Film and screen actor Michael J. Fox has helped increase the awareness of Parkinson’s disease through his foundation, but did you know that Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the country?

Approximately one million people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the United States, and 7-10 million worldwide.

Many are aware of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease — tremors, difficulty walking and problems with balance — but did you know that talking and swallowing also are affected? As many as 89 percent of patients with Parkinson’s disease have voice disorders, and as many as 95 percent have problems with swallowing.

Another defining characteristic of a person with Parkinson’s disease is a decline in vocal loudness. This affects a person’s ability to communicate at work, at home, in social settings and in all areas requiring communication.

Learning to speak louder has proven to increase intelligibility of speech of a person with Parkinson’s disease.

Fortunately, there is good news for those with Parkinson’s disease who have problems with voice or swallowing.

A new program called SPEAK OUT!® has been developed by the Parkinson Voice Project (www.Parkinson

VoiceProject.org). This program is based on the teaching of Dr. Daniel R. Boone, a speech-language pathologist, who discovered in the 1950s that people with Parkinson’s disease could produce a stronger and clearer voice if they spoke with “intent.”

The goal of SPEAK OUT! is to preserve and improve the voices of those with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders by strengthening the muscles used for speaking and swallowing, and to teach patients how to speak with intent and deliberation.

Participation in the SPEAK OUT! program also has been reported to improve swallowing performance.

West Texas A&M University now offers the SPEAK OUT! program through WTAMU Speech and Hearing Clinic. If you or a loved one suffers from Parkinson’s disease or if people ask you to repeat, if your voice sounds hoarse, scratchy or breathy, if your family says you speak too softly, if you clear your throat often, if your voice is strong on some days and weak on others or if you cough when you eat or drink, you might be a candidate for SPEAK OUT!

We believe every voice deserves to be heard, and are offering the SPEAK OUT! program free of charge. Participating in SPEAK OUT! has improved the lives of many people living with Parkinson’s disease. Call the WT Speech and Hearing Clinic at 806-651-5100 so your voice will be heard.

Ann Wallace is a communication disorders instructor at West Texas A&M University.

http://amarillo.com/opinion/opinion-columnist/guest-columnist/2016-02-27/wallace-wt-offers-free-help-voice-disorders

SPEAK OUT!® Therapy Program by Parkinson Voice Project