Lee Silverman Voice Treatment
The LSVT® LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) is a type of speech therapy designed to improve both the voice and speech of individuals with Parkinson’s disease by treating the underlying physical pathologies associated with the disorder. This is the first speech treatment with level 1 evidence and established efficacy for treating voice and speech disorders in individuals with Parkinson’s disease with applications to other neurological disorders (CVA, MS and others). It is backed by over 20 years of research.
LSVT Treatment:
Treatment focuses on improving loudness and immediate carryover into daily communication enabling patients to maintain and improve oral communication
LSVT LOUD is:
1. Therapy is administered on an intensive schedule of 4 days a week for 4 weeks in 60 minute sessions.
2. Daily variables (first half of every session)
3. Hierarchical speech loudness tasks (second half of every session)
4. Integration of the five essential concepts
• All focus on LOUD
• All are high effort
• All are completed daily and quantified
• All are tools for calibration
Speech Production Tasks:
• Week 1: Words
• Week 2: Phrases
• Week 3: Reading aloud
• Week 4: Conversation
Why is the LVST Program Successful?
• Intensive mode of administration is essential to maintain optimum treatment results
• By incorporating sensory awareness training, the patient feels more comfortable using their new louder voice
The Program Incorporates:
• Using phonation as a trigger to increase effort and coordination through stimulating the “loud” global variable (respiratory support)
• Retraining sensory processing during the speech production (increasing fundamental frequency range)
• 1 hour therapy sessions/4 times a week/1month
• Receive 13-16 hours of individual therapy
LVST Facts:
• 90% of patients improve vocal loudness from Pre to Post treatment
• Approximately 80% of patients maintain improvements in their voice for 12-24 months after the treatment
• Treatment focuses on improving vocal loudness and immediate carryover into daily communication enabling patients to maintain and/or improve their oral communication
• Almost all patients and family report improvement in their ability to communicate, despite the severity level