Aphasia (cont.)
How is aphasia diagnosed?
Aphasia is usually first recognized by the physician who treats the individual for his or her brain injury. Frequently this
is a neurologist. The physician typically performs tests that require the
individual to follow commands, answer questions, name objects, and converse. If
the physician suspects aphasia, the individual is often referred to a
speech-language pathologist, who performs a comprehensive examination of the
person's ability to understand, speak, read, and write.
How is aphasia treated?
In some instances an individual will completely
recover from aphasia without treatment. This type of "spontaneous recovery"
usually occurs following a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a kind of stroke in which the blood flow to the brain is
temporarily interrupted but quickly restored. In these circumstances, language
abilities may return in a few hours or a few days. For most cases of aphasia,
however, language recovery is not as quick or as complete. While many
individuals with aphasia also experience a period of partial spontaneous
recovery (in which some language abilities return over a period of a few days to
a month after the brain injury), some amount of aphasia typically remains. In
these instances, speech-language therapy is often helpful. Recovery usually
continues over a 2-year period. Most people believe that the most effective
treatment begins early in the recovery process. Some of the factors that
influence the amount of improvement include the cause of the brain damage, the
area of the brain that was damaged, the extent of the brain injury, and the age
and health of the individual. Additional factors include
motivation, handedness, and educational level.
Aphasia therapy strives to improve an individual's
ability to communicate by helping the person to use remaining abilities, to
restore language abilities as much as possible, to compensate for language
problems, and to learn other methods of communicating. Treatment may be offered
in individual or group settings. Individual therapy focuses on the specific
needs of the person. Group therapy offers the opportunity to use new
communication skills in a comfortable setting. Stroke clubs, which are regional
support groups formed by individuals who have had a stroke, are available in
most major cities. These clubs also offer the opportunity for individuals with
aphasia to try new communication skills. In addition, stroke clubs can help the
individual and his or her family
adjust to the life changes that accompany stroke and aphasia. Family involvement
is often a crucial component of aphasia treatment so that family members can
learn the best way to communicate with their loved one.
Family members are encouraged to:
- Simplify language by using short, uncomplicated
sentences.
- Repeat the content words or write down key words to
clarify meaning as needed.
- Maintain a natural conversational manner appropriate
for an adult.
- Minimize distractions, such as a blaring radio,
whenever possible.
- Include the person with aphasia in conversations.
- Ask for and value the opinion of the person with
aphasia, especially regarding family matters.
- Encourage any type of communication, whether it is
speech, gesture, pointing, or drawing.
- Avoid correcting the individual's speech.
- Allow the individual plenty of time to talk.
- Help the individual become involved outside the home. Seek out support groups
such as stroke clubs.
Next: What research is being done for aphasia? »
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