MESSAGE BANKING GIVES PATIENTS A VOICE WHEN THEY NO LONGER HAVE THEIR OWN BY ALEX STRAUSS
O
NE OF THE MOST devas-
have access to some of these more
to lose their voice, such as multiple
tating side effects of the
personalized phrases, even when
sclerosis or progressive apraxia of
progressive neuromuscular
they can’t talk.”
speech. Regardless of the underlying
disease amyotrophic lateral
Vermeer helps patients decide
medical condition, Vermeer says
sclerosis (ALS) is its impact on
upon and record their messages
early referral to LifeScape is key–
patients’ ability to communicate.
using a high definition voice
ideally within the first few months
As muscle tension in the vocal
recorder. These are downloaded
after diagnosis.
folds increases, the voice may
into a computer program
“For some patients, it’s
become raspy and strained. Even-
and transferred to the
hard to come to grips with
tually, patients lose their ability to
client’s preferred device.
the diagnosis so quickly.
speak altogether.
These phrases can then
Many are still in denial,”
replace the device’s default
says
computerized voice.
encourage them to be
But this no longer has to mean that their voice can never be heard.
12
Vermeer.
“But
I
Through a process called message
“I just saw a patient
proactive rather than
banking at LifeScape, patients can
whose phrase was ‘It’s
reactive. Message banking
record key words and phrases while
tornado weather!’,” says
allows them to communi-
they still have their voice. The
Vermeer. “Another person
recordings become part of an aug-
wanted to record ‘Good morning,
things that we tend to take for
mentative communication device so
beautiful!’ to say to his wife. Another
granted. They don’t have to be so
that that client can use them when
person doesn’t like strawberries and
dependent on people guessing what
they cannot speak for themselves.
wanted to be able to say that. It can
they want.”
cate some of the everyday
“We record things like messages
be whatever things the patient antic-
Vermeer hopes to take the pro-
they want to save, jokes, key phrases,
ipates wanting to be able to say in
cess a step further with voice
and laughter,” says LifeScape Speech
their own voice.”
banking in the near future. With
Language Pathologist Carrie Ver-
During her first year of offering
voice banking, the computer uses
meer, MD, CCC-SLP, who has special
message banking, most of Vermeer’s
recorded messages to synthesize
expertise in augmentative commu-
patients have been people with ALS.
an electronic voice that is close to
nication devices and message
But the process is the same for any
the sound of the patient’s original
banking. “This allows patients to still
condition that could cause a patient
voice. ❖
MidwestMedicalEdition.com
