Aphasia is a language disorder that results from
damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language.
For most people, these are parts of the left side (hemisphere) of
the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often as the result of
a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop slowly, as in the
case of a brain tumor. The disorder impairs both the expression
and understanding of language as well as reading and writing.
Four Primary Types of Aphasia
Expressive aphasia – you know what you
want to say, but you have trouble saying or writing what you mean;
Receptive aphasia – you hear the voice or see the print,
but you can't make sense of the words;
Anomic aphasia – you have trouble using the correct word
for objects, places or events;
Global aphasia – you can't speak, understand speech, read
or write.
Treatment of Aphasia
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.
The goal of aphasia therapy is 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.
In addition to aphasia therapy offered by local hospitals and
outpatient clinics, there are several outstanding speech-language
clinics affiliated with Texas colleges and universities. As well
as offering diagnosis and therapy, these clinics are engaged in
training and research at the highest levels. They can often offer
those with aphasia an opportunity to try the latest in technology
and communication aids, as well.
