Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Goshen Speech and Hearing Center specializes in the speech treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Our goal is to provide or recommend treatment so that patients may resume normal activities and have a more fulfilling quality of life. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder. It occurs when a person’s brain slowly stops producing dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter. Dopamine depletion makes it difficult to regulate the body and coordinate movement. People with Parkinson’s disease may experience tremor, stiffness, impaired balance, and postural instability. As symptoms progress, people may experience problems walking, speaking, chewing, and swallowing. There is currently not a cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there are treatments. Medical treatment typically involves a variety of medications that can assist with dopamine production in the brain. Speech treatment focuses on strategies for articulation and loudness to improve intelligibility. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program (LSVT) is a treatment protocol designed to improve vocal loudness and articulatory precision in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. Goshen Speech and Hearing Center provides professional speech therapy and audiology services to children and adults of Orange County, NY and the Greater Hudson Valley community as well as the surrounding areas of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.