A speech-language pathologist (SLP) conducting SPEAK OUT! finds her patient with Parkinson’s speaks softly. What should she educate him about?

Educating the patient about diaphragmatic breathing is essential, especially for individuals with Parkinson’s disease who often face challenges with voice volume and projection. Diaphragmatic breathing encourages the use of the diaphragm, which helps support breath control and improves vocal strength. This technique allows the patient to utilize their breath more efficiently, facilitating louder and clearer speech.

In the case of Parkinson's, many patients tend to speak softly due to a decreased ability to project their voice, often referred to as hypophonia. By focusing on diaphragmatic breathing, the individual can learn to take deeper breaths, which provides the necessary air support for louder speech. This change in breath support can make a significant difference in the patient's ability to communicate effectively.

Other options like vocal warm-ups, use of resonance, or articulation drills may indeed be beneficial in different contexts but may not specifically address the underlying issue of breath support that contributes to soft speech. Therefore, emphasizing diaphragmatic breathing is a targeted approach that can help the patient improve their vocal volume and overall communication effectiveness.