Treatment Options For Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Speech Therapy

A patient who is having trouble speaking due to their condition may benefit from utilizing speech therapy. A speech therapist can help an affected individual improve the movements needed for respiration, and help with the manipulation of the muscles required to breathe properly. Speech therapists can help a patient master the mechanism of swallowing, and help them control the speed at which they speak. A speech therapist can also assist an affected individual with improving and controlling the articulation of their language. Speech therapists can aid patients by controlling the tone of their voice and producing appropriate hand gestures that accompany their speech. As a patient's spinocerebellar ataxia progresses, it is common for them to experience increasing difficulty with swallowing. They may have trouble swallowing at the esophageal, pharyngeal, or oral stage of the swallowing process. Speech therapy can help a patient adapt and adjust as these problems arise.