Aphasia | Dr.Speech Therapy

What is Aphasia ?

Aphasia is a disorder that affects how you communicate. It can impact your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language.

Aphasia usually happens suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative). The severity of aphasia depends on a number of things, including the cause and the extent of the brain damage.

The main treatment for aphasia involves treating the condition that causes it, as well as speech and language therapy. The person with aphasia relearns and practices language skills and learns to use other ways to communicate. Family members often participate in the process, helping the person communicate.

Symptoms

Aphasia is a symptom of some other condition, such as a stroke or a brain tumor.

A person with aphasia may:

Speak in short or incomplete sentences
Speak in sentences that don't make sense
Substitute one word for another or one sound for another
Speak unrecognizable words
Have difficulty finding words
Not understand other people's conversation
Not understand what they read
Write sentences that don't make sense

Types of Aphasia

Over a century of experience with the study of aphasia has taught us that particular components of language may be particularly damaged in some individuals. We have also learned to recognize different types or patterns of aphasia that correspond to the location of the brain injury in the individual case. Some of the common types of aphasia are:

Diagnose & Treatment

Diagnosing aphasia takes a combination of a physical exam, asking questions about your history, diagnostic imaging and testing, and more. In some cases, a healthcare provider will recommend running several tests to rule out other conditions or causes that might cause effects similar to those seen with aphasia. Some examples of this include:

Sensory and nerve function tests. These tests will make sure that hearing problems or nerve damage aren't the cause behind a problem that seems like aphasia.
Cognitive and memory tests. These tests ensure the problem isn't with the person’s thinking ability or memory.
Diagnostic and imaging tests. These tests look for lesions or signs of damage to the relevant part of the brain.

Unfortunately, there’s no direct cure for aphasia. However, it’s usually treatable in some way. The first step in treating aphasia is usually treating the condition that causes it. With conditions like stroke, quickly restoring blood flow to the affected area of the brain can sometimes limit or prevent permanent damage.

In cases where aphasia happens because of a temporary problem, such as from a concussion, migraine, seizure or some kind of infection, aphasia is often temporary, too. The aphasia usually gets better or goes away entirely as you recover and your brain heals with time and treatment.

For people who have long-term or permanent brain damage, like what happens with severe strokes,

speech therapy can sometimes help a person's language abilities.

These therapy options can also help a person with improving their understanding of others, and how to compensate for their aphasia. Speech therapy can also involve caregivers and loved ones, so they know how best to communicate with and help you.

The SLP can help you get ready to go back to work or school if that is your goal. You may need to change how you do your work. Or you may need special equipment to help you communicate. Your SLP can work with your boss or teachers to make these changes.

Tips for Communicating With a Person Who Has Aphasia

These tips may make it easier for you to understand and talk with others. Share these tips with your family and friends.

To help me talk with you:

Get my attention before you start speaking.
Keep eye contact with me. Watch my body language and the gestures I use.
Talk to me in a quiet place. Turn off the TV or radio.
Keep your voice at a normal level. You do not need to talk louder unless I ask you to.
Keep the words you use simple but adult. Don't "talk down" to me.
Use shorter sentences. Repeat key words that you want me to understand.
Slow down your speech.
Give me time to speak. It may take me longer. Try not to finish my sentences for me.
Try using drawings, gestures, writing, and facial expressions. I may understand those better than words sometimes.
Ask me to draw, write, or point when I am having trouble talking.
Ask me "yes" and "no" questions. Those are easier than questions that I have to answer in words or sentences.
Let me make mistakes sometimes. I may not be able to say everything perfectly all the time.
Let me try to do things for myself. I may need to try a few times. Help me when I ask for it.