DARYN CUSHNIE-SPARROW
Speech-Language Pathologist
MClSc, PhD, SLP Reg. CASLPO,
Professional Interest in Adult Swallowing
Speech Movement Disorders Lab
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Western University
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Adjunct Lecturer,
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
ABOUT ME
I'm a speech-language pathologist with a Master's of Clinical Science and PhD in Speech & Language Science obtained concurrently from Western University's Combined Program. Clinically, I work primarily in dysphagia assessment and management for adult inpatients in an acute care setting, as well as practice-based dysphagia research within this population. Alongside my clinical work, I pursue research in the area of motor speech disorders with the Speech Movement Disorders Lab at Western using a combination of acoustic and perceptual techniques. I am particularly interested in speech in Parkinson's disease and devices and treatments that address the communication problems faced by individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
OROPHARYNGEAL DYSPHAGIA IN CANADIAN ADULT INPATIENTS
Speech-language pathologists are regularly employed in acute care settings in the assessment and management of dysphagia in Canada, but limited prevalence estimates are available in the research literature in Canada. An in-progress practice-based research study seeks to provide initial insights into prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia among adult inpatients on basis of their referral for speech-language pathology services.
CORRELATES OF LOUDNESS IN HYPOPHONIA
Hypophonia may be the most common symptom associated with Parkinson's disease. This is most frequently assessed with sound pressure level (vocal intensity), which may not capture a full picture of the loudness deficits of hypophonia. Spectral considerations or broader acoustic characteristics may feed into our loudness judgments. As my dissertation work, I investigated the acoustic underpinnings of perceived loudness to gain deeper insights into hypophonia and find new treatment avenues; hear more about this work in this brief presentation.
LEVODOPA &Â SPEECH
As part of a larger study into levodopa's effects on symptoms of Parkinson's disease, we have been looking into changes in speech symptoms off- and on-dopaminergic medication. Based on our voice quality findings, which were presented at the 2018 International Conference on Motor Speech and published in the Journal of Communication Disorders, we have proposed a speech symptom severity hypothesis, suggesting that responsiveness to levodopa is contingent on severity of symptoms off-medication. Work in the Speech Movement Disorders lab is ongoing continuing to identify parallels of this hypothesis in other areas of speech.
SPEECH IN NOISE:
PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Parkinson's disease commonly includes hypophonia (low speech intensity), which can interfere with intelligibility, communication and life participation. The Speech Movement Disorders Lab has multiple ongoing studies that investigate the nature of hypophonia, devices and treatments. The SMDL is currently evaluating a new treatment device designed to help individuals with hypophonia experience more success in a variety of communication contexts, with the help of funding from the Parkinson Society of Southwestern Ontario. This project and funding is discussed in the Summer/Fall 2018 issue of the Parkinson's Update, available here.
SPEECH ACOUSTICS
Acoustic measures of speech and voice provide an objective, non-invasive window into speech production. The Speech Movement Disorders Lab investigates acoustic correlates of speech and voice, and the relationships between these acoustic measures and perceptual counterparts such as perceived voice quality and intelligibility.