Parkinson's Disease in Adults
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2017).
London (United Kingdom): National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (NICE Guideline 71), 1-243.
This is an update of the NICE 2006 guideline which provides recommendations for the management of individuals (ages 18 years and older) with Parkinson's disease. The target audience of this guideline is healthcare professionals, individuals with Parkinson's disease, family/carers, support groups, and service providers (including speech-language pathologists).
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (United Kingdom)
This guideline was reviewed with the following:<ul> <li>National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2017). <em>Parkinson's Disease</em> (Quality Standard 164). Retrieved from www.nice.org.uk</li></ul>
Speech and language treatment should be offered to individuals with communication problems secondary to Parkinson's disease. Treatment should include "strategies to improve speech and communication, such as attention to effort therapies" (Executive Summary; p. 18).
Adults with balance, motor function, activities of daily living, communication, swallowing or saliva problems secondary to Parkinson's disease should be referred to physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech and language therapy (NICE, 2018; p. 13).
Individuals with swallowing and/or saliva problems should receive speech and language treatment. Treatment should include "strategies to improve the safety and efficiency of swallowing to minimise the risk of aspiration, such as expiratory muscle strength training" (Executive Summary; p. 18). Pharmacological management of sialorrhea may be considered when speech and language treatment is ineffective or not available.
Augmentative and alternative communication should be considered to meet the communication needs of individuals with Parkinson's disease as their needs change and the disease progresses (Executive Summary).
Individuals in the early stages of Parkinson's disease should be referred to a speech and language therapist with experience of Parkinson's disease for assessment, education and advice if warranted (Executive Summary).
