Changes in voice

saranita

My mother has mild dementia and sometimes it seems there is something different about her voice, but I can't put my finger on it. I did a search here and see folks saying that the their loved one's voice sounds lower or higher, but that isn't it for me. At times I am reminded of the movie the Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the 1978 version) only in that she looks like my mother, but doesn't always sound like my mother. I don't think it has anything to do with the words she is saying. Can anyone relate?

zauberflote

Saranita, I didn't see Invasion of the Body Snatchers! Your experience sounds unsettling to me. When my mom was early and early-mid stages, her voice remained as melodious and expressive as always. Even as she became harder of hearing, her voice remained normal conversational level. In the later stages it became softer, almost what they describe in books as "papery". I guess I should watch the movie, eh.

Now that I read what I wrote about hearing-- do you think your mom's hearing is affected any, even by ear wax? That could cause her to her her own voice differently, and be working to "make it right"? I am not a medical professional, just brainstorming here. 

saranita

Thanks so much for the reply zauberflote! I don’t think it is a hearing issue. It may be that when  she is especially tired or stressed she may be speaking more haltingly or slowly.  I am a super sensitive so it could just be that.

Nowhere

Yes, I relate. Sometimes my husband and mom’s voice (both in dementia) sounds hallow to me. It’s a striking difference (to me) from their normal voice. It is almost as if they are talking down more through their nose. Their voice sounds more hallow or flat. Neither of my loved ones seem aware of their voice change when it occurs.and it is not associated with having a cold or nasal congestion. I have never mentioned it to either of them. It certainly isn’t every day, but maybe once or twice a week . I have no idea why it happens, and have also found it perplexing as to why it occurs. 

Stuck in the middle

Have you checked the back of her neck for red marks? 

Seriously, voice is learned behavior.  I once worked with an attorney who spoke very well.  You would never guess by his telephone voice that he was from Oklahoma, that his father worked in a car wash, or that he was black.  He didn't learn that voice at home.  I have more than one voice myself, with rate and tone varying by whether I am engaged in conversation, soothing a frightened person, or engaging in business.  

It is possible that your mother is "forgetting" a voice she learned so many years ago that it seems a part of her.  Some people with dementia do that, others don't.  I guess it depends on what part(s) of the brain are affected at any point along the journey.

M1

Thyroid and vocal cord problems, and strokes can cause voice changes, and even certain lung cancers can present with hoarseness-might be worth mentioning to her doc just to rule those out.

harshedbuzz

I wonder if what you are picking up is a change in prosody. One of the symptoms of dementia is a flattening of the affect. We tend to think of this in terms of facial expression- that sort of blank look some PWD have in the later stages, but it can impact speech as well. I found dad's prosody of speech- the "musical quality" of inflection, pattern, rests, and volume rises- very changed. FWIW, dad did not have apraxia of speech which could have exacerbated these symptoms.

saranita

Thanks so much everyone for your replies!

Iris L.

People with Parkinson's Disease can have changes in voice quality.

Stuck in the middle, I sent you a Connection Request.

Iris L.