Recognising and responding to communication and swallowing difficulties in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Communication difficulties, including hypokinetic dysarthria and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), affect a large percentage of people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Onset of these symptoms has been identified in up to 78% of people with early-stage Parkinson's disease. Communication difficulties are frequently disregarded until they have a significant impact on quality of life, while the person may often be unaware of indicators of dysphagia and the associated risk of aspiration pneumonia.