L'intervention orthophonique dans la maladie de Parkinson

The important contribution of speech therapy for Parkinson's disease patients has been recognized for many years, with healthcare providers becoming aware of its value for disorders affecting articulation and swallowing as well as general graphic or language communication skills. However, in 2012, in a large cohort of 1835 patients, only 15.4 % were supported by speech therapy. Furthermore, many patients regret that health professionals lack training in speech therapy and prescribe speech therapy too late despite the need for early support to help anchor new acquisitions and maintain communication skills. In recent years, speech therapists have implemented newly developed tools applicable in everyday practice and supported by ongoing research in speech therapy, neuropsychology and neuroscience. Here we recall epidemiological data on the time-course of speech disorders, swallowing, and oral and written language in Parkinson's disease, then detail certain problems and potential speech therapy interventions designed specifically for the different stages of disease progression.