What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a disorder caused by brain damage that affects a person’s language abilities, including verbal expression and reception, written expression, and reading comprehension.  A common misunderstanding is that the intelligence of a person with aphasia is affected.

Causes of Aphasia

Aphasia is caused by damage to the brain, typically in the left hemisphere. It is often a result of a stroke, although can also be caused by brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, and brain infections.

Types of Aphasia

Wernicke’s Aphasia

One of the most common types of aphasia is called Wernicke’s aphasia, characterized as a “fluent” type. Although people with Wernicke’s aphasia can string several words together in a row, the utterances often don’t make sense and can include made-up words. Individuals with this type of aphasia don’t always realize that their sentences are incomprehensible. They might also experience difficulty understanding what others are saying.

Broca’s Aphasia

Compared to Wernicke’s, Broca’s aphasia is considered a “non-fluent” type. People with Broca’s aphasia have significant difficulty forming sentences and may often speak using one or two words at a time. Their ability to understand other people, however, is largely unaffected. This type of aphasia was named after the person who discovered the area of the brain in the frontal lobe that is responsible for generating speech.

Global Aphasia

Global aphasia occurs as a result of more pervasive brain damage that affects both Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas in the brain. As a result, people with global aphasia have great difficulty both with speaking and with comprehension. Their reading and writing abilities may also be affected.

Assessment of Aphasia

Assessment of aphasia is comprehensive and will include both standardized and non-standardized tools. The assessment will look at all aspects of the person’s life, including deficits in communication, how the impairments  affect the person’s vocational/social/recreational life, and barriers (environmental, e.g.) affecting the person’s participation in activities. An assessment will include a case history (background information gathered from medical records, interviews, observations), a motor speech examination (to determine if another speech impairment is present, such as apraxia), evaluation of language skills, and personal factors related to treatment (participation/support from family members, e.g.). An aphasia assessment is conducted by a speech-language pathologist (SLP).  

What is a Speech Language Pathologist?

Speech-language pathologists specialize in diagnosing and treating communication disorders affecting speech, language, and swallowing (dysphagia). They can work with individuals of all ages and in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, private practices, and through teletherapy. To learn more, check out our article “What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?”.

Treatment for Aphasia

Treatment for people with aphasia will vary across individuals depending on their needs. Several different approaches exist, all of which seek to increase a person’s communication and participation in life activities to the maximum extent possible. For those with expressive language difficulties, alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) might be explored. AAC is used as a way for people with communication difficulties to express themselves. It can be “low-tech” such as picture cards or a paper board with symbols that individuals point to, or “high-tech,” such as dedicated devices or tablets that have programs on them that are specifically designed for communication. 

Tips for Caregivers of People with Aphasia

Aphasia can be very frustrating both for people who have it and for their friends and family members. When communicating with someone with aphasia, here are some suggestions to keep in mind:

• Simplify your sentences, but don’t speak to the person with aphasia as if they’re a child
• Reduce your rate when speaking
• Provide extra time for the person to respond; avoid finishing his sentences or interrupting
• Use visuals to facilitate your message (drawings, objects, gestures, body language)
• Ask the person to write or draw what she’s trying to say
• Reduce distractions during conversation, such as the TV or radio
• Make and maintain eye contact

Want to Learn More?

If you or someone you know is experiencing language difficulties, contact us at Speech Leader. We can consult with you to help determine if online speech therapy would be helpful.