by Lisa Tedder 

The A-State Speech and Hearing Center is a valuable resource here in Jonesboro that provides an assortment of services to individuals of all ages with hearing and communication disorders, all at no charge. At the same time, it serves as a clinical laboratory for grad students to gain experience providing speech, language and hearing therapy while under the supervision of a licensed and certified speech pathologist.

The services include diagnostic evaluations for hearing, speaking and swallowing, the Speak Out Program for Parkinson’s patients, the Head and Neck Cancer program, and a summer reading boot camp for children. Therapy sessions last 55 minutes and are offered in private or group settings or even over Zoom.

The Parkinson’s Voice Project provides services for a wide variety of problems ranging from articulation, language, fluency, swallowing and feeding disorders resulting from Parkinson’s disease. One characteristic of Parkinson’s is smaller movements: a short, shuffling walk, cramped handwriting, a softer voice. This leads to a loss of muscle tone or the muscles becoming weaker due to being underused.

Parkinson’s patients often develop difficulty speaking and swallowing. The Speak Out program used by the Parkinson’s Voice Project is an effective, evidence-based treatment plan that helps Parkinson’s patients regain and retain their ability to speak and swallow. It combines education, individual and group therapy sessions, daily homework and continuous follow-up visits. The success of the program depends on consistent practice and follow-up visits to check that patients are maintaining their ability to speak and swallow.

More than 80% of Parkinson’s patients will develop problems with communicating and swallowing. Early signs of a speech disorder related to Parkinson’s include a reduced vocal volume, sounding hoarse, frequent throat clearing, trailing off at the end of sentences and an inconsistent production of sound while speaking. To prevent or postpone this decline in function, treatment should begin as early as a diagnosis is made.

The Voice Project has a big impact on patients’ lives, as they often see fast results. Even in severe cases where patients have lost the ability to communicate effectively, they regain the ability to make themselves understood. The loss of the ability to speak often contributes to isolation and even dementia. The socialization with others during group therapy helps alleviate isolation and helps patients engage more with others. Caregivers and family members are encouraged to participate so they understand what Parkinson’s patients are going through and know how to help. The Speak Out program can serve patients anywhere in the state in person or through telemedicine.

Patients undergoing radiation treatment for head or neck cancer often experience side effects such as jaw stiffness, mouth infections, thick saliva or develop fibrous tissue in the neck, making speech and swallowing more difficult. The Head and Neck Cancer Program provides education for these patients so they know what to expect during or after treatment. Patients can be evaluated and receive physical, occupational or speech therapy as needed if they have exhausted their insurance coverage or if they don’t have any insurance coverage. 

The Speech and Hearing Center also runs a summer reading camp for children in the first through sixth grade who are at risk for reading difficulties and has an after-school program at the Hispanic Center. The bootcamp is designed to help kids retain reading skills over the summer so they don’t regress and covers a variety of learning issues such as reading comprehension, dyslexia or the ability to decipher words. The Barton System, a teaching method that is multisensory and focused on helping kids make connections between words and sounds, is the method used.

The Speech and Hearing Center also provides diagnostic services for speech, hearing, swallowing and more. They provide therapy for stroke patients whose speech has become impaired and treat fluency disorders such as stuttering or other speech disorders. At the same time that patients are receiving much needed help, grad students are gaining the valuable practical experience they need as future licensed speech pathologists, a win-win situation for everyone.

These programs generally start with the beginning of the semester, though services may overlap semesters or begin in the middle of a semester. Positions can fill up, so call early to check for availability. Contact the Speech and Hearing Center at (870) 972-3301 for more information. It is an amazing benefit to have all these services provided free for anyone in the state of Arkansas; please share this information with those who need it.