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>Hi. I am a graduate student in speech pathology at the University of >Kentucky. I am writing a research paper about PD and its effects on the >voice. I am trying to prove that speech intervention will improve the PD >patient's voice in the areas of loudness, pitch and rate. Does anyone know >where I can find any research on this topic? Has anyone ever received any >speech therapy? Did it help? Was the Lee Silverman Technique used? Have >any of your doctors recommended speech therapy? Thank you for your time, >Mallory Dillon Dear Malllory- I am a 53 yr old parkinsonian- diagnosed at age 42. I realized my speech was becoming affected early in '98 because so many people were saying ," sorry , could you repeat that?" Iasked my doc if he could give me a referrral to go to a speech therapist, which he agreed to do. I had read alittle about the Lee Silverman approach and asked the therapist if she had heard of it and indeed she had as she h ad recently been to DENVER to be trained in how to use this and I told her I'd like to try this method and so we began. The initial training is quite intense-5X/ week - 1 hour /day. Since that time I have continued on my own 4 or 5 times a week , 20 minutes long and periodically touching base with my speech therapist. Yes, I would have to say it has been very helpful...so many people have commented how I sound better, clearer.It is non invasive and i can do it at a time convenient for me, although it is best to do during my "off" times. Now friends and fasmily comment on how good i sound! Good luck to you in your research! ! and would b glad to help in any way i can. Let us all know what your research finds please. Thanks Patsy manning