What is Aphasia?
How is aphasia caused?
Aphasia is caused by damage to the language areas of the brain. In most people, this is typically the left hand side of the brain. It is most commonly caused by a stroke or a brain injury. It can also be caused by progressive disorders such as brain tumors.
How does aphasia affects communication?
It can affect a persons understanding, speaking, reading and writing. Symptoms can vary in severity from people not being able to express themselves by any means, to milder symptoms of a delay in accessing words. However, even mild symptoms can have an impact on peoples confidence requiring Speech Therapy.
Does aphasia go away?
It depends on the cause and severity of the aphasia. If it is caused by a brain injury and stroke, it is likely to improve. If it is caused by a progressive disorder this is means that it will unfortunately not improve.
Can aphasia be cured?
Speech therapy aims to restore a persons language through exercises but also support them
Can Aphasia be treated?
The treatment for Aphasia is with Speech and Language Therapy. Evidence shows that Speech Therapy is effective for people with Aphasia following a stroke, compared to no therapy.
How can you help someone with Aphasia?
After an assessment, a Speech Therapist will be able to give you specific advice about the best ways in which to communicate.
Below is some general guidance:
Give the person plenty of time to respond. If a person with Aphasia feels rushed or pressured to speak they may become anxious, which can affect their ability to communicate.
Use short, uncomplicated sentences.
Do not change the topic of conversation too quickly.
Avoid finishing a person's sentences or correcting their errors.
Reduce distractions.
If you don't understand something a person with Aphasia is trying to communicate, don't pretend you understand.
Use visual references, such as pointing, gesturing and objects, to support their understanding.
If they're having difficulty finding the right word, prompt them – ask them to describe the word, think of a similar word, try to visualise it, think of the sound the word starts with, try to write the word, use gestures, or point to an object.
Our Speech and Language Therapists are Specialists in Aphasia. Feel free to book a free consultation or email us for further information.