Parkinson's Disease Speech Issues (Dysarthria)

Here at the Kingston Centre, and because of the 'whole team' approach, this visit ,I have had access to a truly wonderful Speech Pathology/therapy team.

Although I've had PD for a number of years, and it has been apparent to my friends and glaringly obvious to my family my speech has begun to be very badly affected. This has been an embarrassing and depressing decline that I was beginning to feel I had no control of and that this capacity was one I was sure to be losing in the near future...

Now I know different!! The symptom even has a name; Dysarthria. Common speech characteristics in PD patients can include: A soft voice, a husky,rough or breathy sounding voice, talking too fast, stuttering and slurring. All these symptoms I have suffered.

As a young PD sufferer it is incredibly embarrassing and soul destroying to lose the facility of speech. With the above symptoms, to those who do not know me, I appear drunk or on some mind altering drug. Coupled with loss of balance etc. the picture to the onlooker is complete.

It has occurred to me oftentimes to have a tee-shirt printed that states: 'I'M NOT DRUNK, I'M NOT ON DRUGS - I JUST HAVE PARKINSON'S DISEASE!'

For my poor family, they have had to endure the stares and judgements of strangers, as well as the frustration of being unable to hear or understand me whilst trying to communicate with them.

Again, I praise the "Kingston Centre's" holistic whole team approach and it seems to me that what is needed is not just Speech Therapy - as useful as that is, but rather, Speech Pathology to aid in the rehabilitation of throat and muscle chords in PD sufferers, as swallowing mechanisms are also affected with the progression of this disease.

With a few simple techniques and vocal exercises it is possible for PD patients the find their "LOUD VOICE" again and so improve the quality of life and once again enjoy a good chat with family and friends, instead of being or feeling like a dimwitted participant as this disease progresses.

This has also reminded me that whilst PD may affect my brain, it does NOT affect my mind even if this is impression to those who are unaware. Moreover, I intend to return home and practice my newly re-learned skills and vocal exercises.

So, the next time I feel tongue-tired, stutter or slur my words, I will stop, take a deep breath, slow down my thought processes, tap-out long syllabled words and once again take control over a small but vital part of my life whilst acknowledging that there is not much I can do to stop the progression of this disease upon other physical aspects of my life. All part of the journey I guess!