| Parkinson's disease often affects the patient's | | | | Dysarthria is caused by the speech muscles |
| ability to speak clearly and this is often considered | | | | weakening and becoming uncoordinated due to |
| one of its worse symptoms. For many patients, | | | | the Parkinson's condition. Severity can vary from |
| the loss of their ability to communicate clearly to | | | | one patient to the next. In fact, some patients |
| others is heartbreaking. For these patients, they | | | | may have this in very severe form, while others |
| have the added problem of feeling as if they | | | | may only have slight effects from it. |
| have some sort of dementia. It is important to | | | | Speech therapy can often help with this problem |
| remember that a Parkinson's patient can hear | | | | for some patients. If speech therapy is carefully |
| himself just fine. | | | | introduced in conjunction with medication |
| It has been estimated that between 65-90% of | | | | extremely good results can often be achieved. |
| Parkinson's disease sufferers will ultimately have | | | | Voice exercises to improve vocal cords and |
| troubles with their speech, and these problems | | | | muscles can also improve speech difficulties |
| can become apparent in explicit ways which | | | | caused by Parkinson's disease. Regular voice |
| include speaking in either a monotone or | | | | exercises can be very effective. |
| unintelligible gibberish. At times, patients hesitate | | | | Regardless of the therapy used, a person with |
| before actually speaking which can give the | | | | Parkinson's disease who is also suffering from a |
| impression that there is some memory | | | | speech impediment should always be treated with |
| impairment or dementia with the patient. At other | | | | consideration and patience. Visitors should |
| times, the speech is faster than normal, and very | | | | remember that they need time to formulate their |
| often the same words are repeated over and | | | | words and then must deliver the words through |
| over. Again, this can give the impression that the | | | | the mouth. It can frustrating for both parties, the |
| patient is suffering from dementia or memory | | | | speaker and the person listening to the Parkinson's |
| impairment problems. | | | | sufferer, but patience and respect must win out. |
| Dysarthria is another speech problem associated | | | | Trying to get the speaker to speak faster will |
| with Parkinson's disease. This speech problem | | | | only make the problem worse. |
| shows itself in ways such as a weak, soft | | | | Everyone should keep in mind that Parkinson's |
| spoken, slow or incoherent speech. As both the | | | | disease steals many things from a person. The |
| pitch and volume of speech is also affected by | | | | fact that it can also steal a person's ability to |
| dysarthria, eventually speech becomes unintelligible. | | | | communicate only makes it more dreadful. |