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Las Vegas, Nevada 89123

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Voice Care in Children: Stellar Performance at School of Rock Musical

Voice Care in Children: Stellar Performance at School of Rock Musical
By Linda L. Ganz M.S.CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist

I had an incredible auditory experience listening to the vocally talented children in the touring musical School of Rock, written by Andrew Lloyd Weber. This Broadway musical theatre hit debuted in 2016 in New York City. Last night, I attended the School of Rock performed by the touring Troika Entertainment company at The Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 17 children performers ranged from 9-11 years of age in this smash hit. As a speech-language pathologist and voice specialist who assists children and adults when their voices are compromised, it was a pleasure to hear the stellar vocal quality of these singers.

Children performers undergo grueling practice times and still must see tutors to keep up with their school studies while traveling abroad. Voice care in a young performer is crucial to their continued performance without vocal injury. Vocal fold nodules are the most commonly encountered cause of pediatric voice problems. Symptoms of voice injury include chronic breathy or harsh voice over a long duration. Vocal fold cysts are less common in children. If children are feeling voice fatigue or finding their voice is not performing as usual, a consultation with a speech-language pathologist who specializes in voice therapy should be considered. As for the School of Rock Cast, congratulations on a stellar vocal job well done!

Memory Strategies

Memory Strategies
By Madeline Brungardt, M.S.CFY-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist at Vegas Voice Institute

5 Simple Memory Strategies

Has your loved one ever experienced that aggravating feeling that s/he has forgotten something but can’t remember what it could possibly be? Memory issues can be the result of many causes (traumatic brain injury, age, stroke, etc). Using simple memory strategies can be helpful. These strategies to improve memory are one of the focal points in cognitive-speech therapy. Fortunately, there are many straightforward approaches that your loved one can use to increase his/her memory and decrease the number of “I can’t believe I forgot that again” moments. Here, we will discuss 5 simple memory strategies your loved one can begin using everyday.

  1. External Cues/Writing:
    This strategy may seem too easy to do but often many of us do not use the power of writing items down in notebooks, sticky notes, calendars, etc. By using a calendar, it’s easy to see an entire month of plans and “to-do’s” that are always within view.
  2. Environmental Placement Cues:
    Use environmental cues to set yourself up for success. For example, if you have a package to send out, place it by the front door or by your keys, so that when you go out you remember to bring it to the post office.
  3. Rehearsal: Rehearsal is a simple way to engrain something you want to remember later into your brain. Repeating, reviewing, and practicing material that needs to be memorized until it is firmly in your mind. For example, you may want to remember someone’s name; by rehearsing the name over and over again, you are more likely to recall later.
  4. Associations: Group tasks, ideas, objects, or words together based on qualities they have in common. For example, you recently meet a woman named Jennifer with brown hair. You know you have a sister named Jennifer who also has brown hair so you can try to relate her name to your sister and the fact that they both have brown hair.
  5. Visual Imagery: This strategy relies on imagining tasks step-by-step For example, you want to make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner but you went to the store without a list. By using visual imagery, run through the recipe step-by-step in your head. Imagine each ingredient needed in each step to help you recall what you need at the grocery store.

By utilizing simple memory strategies throughout the day, your loved one will be more likely to recall that information they were forgetting.

The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment LOUD (LSVT) for Parkinson

by Linda L. Ganz, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Today I would like to explore with you how Parkinson affects speech and voice and what can be done to make your voice alive again. Researchers identified the 5 most common speech problems in Parkinson as: rapid speech, mumbled words, pauses when talking, short rushes of speech and getting stuck on sounds repetitively while talking to say a word. Virtually every person with Parkinson (89%) will have a speech problem that will diminish the quality of life. Some signs that this could be happening to you are: avoiding using the telephone, frequent throat clearing, people leaning in close to you while you talk, or if a loved one says “what?” often. The most common voice problem reported by Parkinson people are a weak voice and garbled speech.

We believe Parkinson folks can improve their voices and can feel alive again with some speech therapy because science has proven it and we are doing it! We hear their voices “come alive” day after day at Vegas Voice Institute. The standard speech therapy is LSVT LOUD and entails speech therapy 4 times a week for 4-5 weeks with daily homework practice. Here are some examples of people who came to us with speech affected by Parkinsonism.

ALS and it’s role in speech therapy

by Linda L. Ganz, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

The goal of therapy in this population focuses on the management of the many symptoms associated with the condition. The role of exercise in the management of ALS is a topic of considerable interest and controversy. Because of the variable rates of progression of ALS, efficacy of exercise is difficult to document. Although clinical opinions vary, there appears to be some agreement that exercise to the point of fatigue is not beneficial. In speech therapy, we address tongue weakness causing slurred speech and more drastically swallowing problems (dysphagia). In our clinic, we use the ALS Severity Scale to rate a patient’s speech and swallowing function on a scale of 0-10. When the patient demonstrates a decline in function then we reassess our goals and home exercise program. During the initial to mid stages of ALS, speech therapy can assist with tongue exercises, modification of food and liquid consistency, and swallowing treatment with VitalStim (NMES). NMES, electrical stimulation, is performed by placing electrodes on the patient’s neck to stimulate recruitment of tongue and laryngeal muscle movement. We allow for adequate break times in order to not fatigue these muscles during treatment. The role of VitalStim may delay the PEG tube placement by increasing quality and safety of oral intake.

In our clinic, we have treated John, an ALS patient, who has been able to maintain the same level of swallowing function from February 2007 to the September 2007 with therapy. Therapy allowed this patient to continue to exercise his muscles with NO deterioration in his diet since that time. This is remarkable due to the nature of ALS! Read more about this exciting therapy on the About Us section under Vital Stim Therapy.

 

ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Education & Speech Therapy

ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Education & Speech Therapy: Speech Therapy Las Vegas

by Speech Therapist Linda Ganz

ALS and its role in speech therapy

The goal of therapy in this population focuses on the management of the many symptoms associated with the condition. The role of exercise in the management of ALS is a topic of considerable interest and controversy. Because of the variable rates of progression of ALS, efficacy of exercise is difficult to document. Although clinical opinions vary, there appears to be some agreement that exercise to the point of fatigue is not beneficial. In speech therapy, we address tongue weakness causing slurred speech and more drastically swallowing problems (dysphagia). In our clinic, we use the ALS Severity Scale to rate a patient’s speech and swallowing function on a scale of 0-10. When the patient demonstrates a decline in function then we reassess our goals and home exercise program. During the initial to mid stages of ALS, speech therapy can assist with tongue exercises, modification of food and liquid consistency, and swallowing treatment with VitalStim (NMES). NMES, electrical stimulation, is performed by placing electrodes on the patient’s neck to stimulate recruitment of tongue and laryngeal muscle movement. We allow for adequate break times in order to not fatigue these muscles during treatment. The role of VitalStim may delay the PEG tube placement by increasing quality and safety of oral intake.

In our clinic, we have treated John, an ALS patient, who has been able to maintain the same level of swallowing function from February 2007 to the September 2007 with therapy. Therapy allowed this patient to continue to exercise his muscles with NO deterioration in his diet since that time. This is remarkable due to the nature of ALS! Read more about this exciting therapy on the About Us section under Vital Stim Therapy.