Lee Silverman Voice Treatment For People With Parkinson's Disease

Over 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease, a complex neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells of the brain which produce dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger, or neurotransmitter, that the brain uses to help direct and control movement. There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Many people with Parkinson's disease tend to speak in a quiet tone of voice with poor articulation or slurred speech. Listeners have a hard time understanding and catching what is being said.

Since the LSVT program helps clients to "think loud", their voice moves into a normal volume range and increases their overall intelligibility and speech clarity. Anyone suffering from these voice issues due to Parkinson's disease and is able to follow the simple premise of the program will benefit from therapy.

Treatment consists of one-hour sessions, held four days per week for four consecutive weeks. One of the hallmarks of the Lee Silverman program is its intensive treatment. In addition to the extensive clinical work, patients are given home activities and daily exercises.

Speech-language pathologists certified by the American Speech, Language & Hearing Association (ASHA) with specific training in the area of Parkinson's disease speech disorders and the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment technique implement the program.

Unlike traditional speech therapy methods and other programs, LSVT has documented short term and long term effectiveness in helping the 90% of Parkinson's patients who have voice and speech problems. Speaking effectively with other individuals whether at social gatherings, business meeting, or over the phone will enable you to be a confident and successful communicator. The emphasis on personal and practical use of language in the settings most critical to your life allows you to focus your practice and see immediate improvement in your everyday life.