In Max
Little’s Ted talk, A Test for Parkinson’s
With a Phone Call, Max discusses his background as a mathematician and his vision to provide a cheap and
effective objective tool to detect Parkinson’s disease, and a way to then measure Parkinson’s progression.
Max states that when we have an objective measure, this is when disease detection and progression can
be determined. I am interested in Parkinson’s disease as a student, and I am excited to hear
what Max is doing with a piece of technology that is moving more universal daily. Max is making a
strategic play on assistive technology, and this assistive device could benefit all healthcare, including occupational
therapy clients. By listening to Max’s talk, recording what he says during his talk on a word document,
and then reflecting on his thoughts and how they can positively impact OT have been my active learning
experience.
Max proposes that limbs and vocal
chord organs are both effected by Parkinson’s disease.
Vocal chords begin having tremors, rigidity, and weakness at
the same rate as the limbs. A client
with Parkinson’s speech becomes more quiet and breathier as the
time goes. Thus, Max and his team
developed a cheap and simple tool that uses precise voice
analysis software to detect Parkinson's with
99 percent accuracy.
Max has set up through the www.parkinsonsvoice.org
a way for anyone healthy, who is questioning if they have Parkinson’s, or an individual
with Parkinson’s, to have a chance to call in and have the test done.
Occupational
therapy practitioners could utilize this device to calm the nerves or fear of
their
clients that may wonder if they have Parkinson’s. There is just as much emotional as physical
stress that accompanies a neurological condition or expectation of one. If the therapist’s clients have a family history of Parkinson’s we could provide them with this
app/device to keep up with their health and or have a way for early detection/diagnosis. Another way the voice detector can be used in
occupational therapy could be used on clients we are currently working
with that have Parkinson’s. It is a
quick and simple way to see their progression as we progress rough our therapy sessions with our client’s. This would be an economically positive device
as well, because although many people that do not have insurance or may lack
the money to go to the doctor and have the 300$ neurological test done for Parkinson’s, they do
have a phone or could borrow a friend or families phone to do the test for cheap and would
be able to detect their Parkinson’s despite their socioeconomic status.
For countries that may have a lower socioeconomic status, the doctors office or clinic could have 1 phone donated. This same phone could be free to the public
for use or could be used as a free diagnosis option for those that come
into the clinic with possible symptoms or questions about Parkinson’s disease. I absolutely love Max’s approach to this, and
hope that it effects many in a positive way.
Little, M. (2012,
June). A test for Parkinson’s with a
phone call [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/max_little_a_test_for_parkinson_s_with_a_phone_call
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