Aphasia occurs with anyone who has trouble with their use of language and speech. This condition commonly occurs after a stroke and in particular after a parietal lobe stroke. Aphasia is typically caused by damage to the left side of the brain.
The condition is more common in older individuals (typically over the age of 65) who are more at risk of experiencing a serious stroke but can affect younger people too. It can also occur as a result of severe head injury, a brain tumor or dementia.
Aphasia effects people in the way they understand and use language. The condition tends to impair ability in the following areas:
Each individual case of aphasia may appear in different ways but typically the most obvious issues appear in the use of speech. People with speech problems may make mistakes in the words they use, the sound of the work or putting words together incorrectly. Aphasia impacts the ability to communicate but not intelligence itself. It can appear with other physical issues:
Damage to the regions of the brain which work to understand and produce language can cause aphasia.
The most common cause is a stroke. However, other severe head injuries, brain tumours and neurological conditions such as dementia can cause aphasia.
Aphasia will normally be diagnosed by the physician treating a patient for his or her brain injury. The typical process is then undergoing an MRI or CT scan to take pictures of the brain injury and establish its position. If aphasia is suspected, then the patient will be referred to a speech and language therapist.
In general, a doctor can diagnose aphasia through some simple tests. These could be asking a person to repeat words or sentences, read or write or name objects that are in the room. These tests are aimed to help the therapist understand the patient's ability to understand and use language.
At SpeechAim we aim to provide expert, therapeutic, treatment for those suffering from aphasia. Our expert speech and language therapists will work with the aim of restoring your ability to communicate.
We also have access to the newest applications to aid recovery. An increasing number of computer-based applications are now available. Each one of these applications can be used with one of our dedicated speech and language therapists to boost and aid recovery.
Our speech and language therapy aims to:
The therapy we provide will differ depending on your individual circumstances such as general health, difficulties in your speech, social skills etc. A more intensive course of therapy may be recommended to some people in comparison to others.
SpeechAim strives to be as accommodating as possible. We understand that therapy can sometimes be a tiring process. We will provide you with the support and guidance you need to make improvements in your speech and language.
Our dedicated therapists will be able to provide guidance in one-on-one sessions, with the aim of prioritising you. Your therapy will be tailored to your specific issues to ensure the best possible outcome of treatment. Depending on your personal needs, group sessions can be provided. In some cases, this has been found to be very beneficial for recovery.