Austin man makes app to help combat Parkinson's symptoms

AUSTIN, Texas - A recent poll shows there is broad support for more government funding in the battle against Parkinson’s disease. 

In November, Texas voters approved a $3 billion funding proposition for brain disease research, but plans for launching the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas are still on hold because the election results were challenged in court. 

The group that filed a lawsuit to toss out the vote lost in District Court but has made an appeal to reverse the ruling to the Texas 15th Court of Appeals. The ongoing litigation has prevented the governor from being able to certify the vote.

Loud and Clear app for Parkinson's patients

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As the legal fight, and the search for a cure continues, an Austin man has come up with an idea to provide some stability for those with Parkinson’s disease, and it’s free. The smartphone app technically is not a medical break-through for people with Parkinson’s, it’s more like a gap filler, according to Steven Darroh.

"That's exactly what it is. Yeah, when people ask why, I don't have a very cool founder story. I just said, ‘Hey, here is something that needed to happen, and I think I can do it, and we got there,’" said Darroh.

Darroh is a Speech Language Pathologist and his experience in Austin as an SLP helped him create an app he calls Loud and Clear. 

"We know speech therapy is super effective for people with Parkinson's. But we also know that the carryover of voice exercise at home for people with Parkinson's really is not there. We would have people come in, do great for their four weeks, leave and next time we'd see them. Oh, my dog ate my homework or my microphone from Radio Shack broke. So that's why I picked, well, hey, let's just put it all in somebody's pocket so that they can be practiced in their voice when it's easy for them," said Darroh.

Those who download the Loud and Clear app are provided voice classes by therapists assembled by Darroh. It's an exercise program that was recently added to address mobility.

"It's not regular exercise that we shoehorn for people with Parkinson's. No, people with really deep backgrounds in the Parkinson space are creating these voice and physical exercises," said Darroh.

The app does not require a prescription, but Darroh says it’s not intended to be a substitute for traditional treatment by a doctor or SLP.

"No, it is not a substitute for it. It is a supplement for it, something that people can do in between, because most insurances will give you maybe 12 or 16 visits for the year. If you don't use it, you lose it," said Darroh.

Several financial sponsors allow the Loud and Clear app to be downloaded for free.

"So, if you're in the U.S., you'll see Abbott Labs here in Austin is one of my sponsors. So they have a really great ambassador program, and you’ll have a promotion and say, hey, are you interested in connecting to somebody who's had DBS and learning more about what a day in the life is like? Click here. And if you are, you click connect. And if not, click close and move on," said Darroh.

Plans are now in the works to expand the programs on the Loud and Clear app.        

"I have the good pleasure of being rolled up in partnership talks right now. We're getting rolled up into a wider offering for the Parkinson's population. And I can't say a lot more than that at this time, but I'm very eager for that partnership to happen because that'll add some fuel to the fire for me and really fill this puzzle piece for them," said Darroh.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and there is a lot of information available about other forms of treatment and support.

On Friday, April 17, the Capital Area Parkinson’s Society is holding an event called The Living Well with Parkinson’s Summit. The summit is at the Ascension Texas Administration Offices, which is near the Dell Children’s Medical Center.