(Madrid. Lucila Rodríguez)

In the field of neurological health, speech therapy intervention has become essential since many patients with neurological diseases, whether transient or permanent, suffer from speech, language, swallowing or voice problems. speech therapy neurology

“Diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) require at some point in their evolution a speech therapy intervention. Although this is not curative, it is effective in maintaining and improving the affected functions, improving the quality of life of patients and their families,” explained Mamen Vicente Torcal, speech therapist at the Neurology Department of the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid.

Specifically, patients with neurological diseases may experience a variety of speech symptoms. Among the most common are:

• Difficulty to increase the intensity of the voice.
• Problems articulating and performing precise speech movements.
• Difficulties in the sequencing of speech movements.
• Problems managing the swallowing of food and saliva, crucial for hydration and nutrition.

“The neurological diagnosis by neurological specialists determines the clinical characteristics of each disease. However, from speech therapy, profiles are identified based on specific deficits. We work with aphasia (language), dysarthria (speech), neurogenic dysphagia (swallowing), neurogenic dysphonia (voice) and facial mobility (hyponymia and facial paralysis),” explained the specialist.

However, the evolution of speech symptoms in diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s varies. For example, in Parkinson’s disease, early work on swallowing, voice and communication can significantly improve the patient’s functionality. Likewise, in Alzheimer’s, although the evolution is uncertain, early intervention can also improve quality of life.

Finally, the speech therapist offered crucial advice for caregivers of patients with neurological pathologies: “It is essential to relate first to the person and then to the disease. Each patient lives and manages his or her condition in a unique way, so it is essential to identify his or her personal and biopsychosocial needs. Each case requires an individual approach and specific therapeutic input,” he recommended.