Neurological disorders

People who have suffered a stroke or head injury, or who have neurological degenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s Disease, can experience voice, speech, language, or swallowing difficulty in addition to multiple other symptoms. Deficits may include:

  • A weak voice

  • Monotone voice

  • Strained voice

  • Reduced loudness level

  • Slurred speech

  • Abnormally slow or fast speech rate

  • Word errors or deletions

  • Grammar errors

  • Difficulty finding words or vocabulary

  • Difficulty putting words together to form sentences

  • Coughing when eating or drinking

  • Food feeling stuck in your throat

With a perceptual-acoustic speech-voice-language evaluation, I can identify your speech, voice, and language limitations, and determine how they impact your speech intelligibility in order to help you rebuild skills for increased communicative success in your daily life. In addition to speech exercises, I can employ light touch manual therapy (sitting in a chair or lying down on a massage table) to address any limitations in muscle tone or range of motion in the upper body, particularly the face, throat, and jaw, which may be affecting your communication. I am also a certified provider of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) program, designed to help people with Parkinson’s Disease. You may be a candidate for the LSVT intensive program, or a modified program.

Quick tips

  • Consider whether your problems are related to clear speech vs. thinking of what to say or both. Dysarthria is a speech disorder, which can involve deficits in vocal quality, breath control, loudness level, and/or articulation. Aphasia is a language disorder, which can involve difficulty finding words, putting words together, or understanding the words and sentences that other people say.

  • Your speech and voice skills can fluctuate with your general health. Keeping track of that may help you get a clearer picture of your challenges.

  • Ask someone close to you for feedback on your speaking skills.

  • Speaking more slowly can help your oral muscles keep up with your thoughts and give you time to monitor yourself as you speak.

Swallowing disorders