SVMC Introduces Speech Treatment for Parkinson’s

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s (SVMC) Outpatient Rehabilitation recently introduced  Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) LOUD, an effective speech treatment for people with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological conditions.

People with Parkinson’s Disease experience sensory changes in the brain that may prevent them from recognizing changes in their voice, speech, and communication or realizing that they are speaking too softly.

With LSVT LOUD, a research-based, intensive, one-on-one clinical treatment delivered over one month’s time by a certified clinician, patients feel more comfortable using a stronger voice and loudness level in everyday communication at home, work, and in the community.

The treatment includes sixteen one-hour sessions and daily homework exercises intended to help people recalibrate their perceptions of their voice, so they can use a more conversationally appropriate volume.

While LSVT LOUD treatment can help people in all stages of Parkinson’s Disease, it’s ideal

to begin treatment before significant changes in voice, speech, and communication have occurred.   

If you have Parkinson’s Disease or another neurological condition, consider asking your family and friends if they have noticed changes in your vocal loudness, voice quality, or everyday communication.

To determine if you may be a candidate for LSVT LOUD or would like more information, contact Kate O’Neill, MS, CCC-SLP at 802-447-5140. Additional information on LSVT LOUD is available on their website https://www.lsvtglobal.com/LSVTLOUD

Kate O’Neill, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at SVMC Outpatient Rehabilitation in Bennington, Wilmington, and Manchester Center. These practices are part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT.