What is Aphasia?
Aphasia is a communication disorder that usually results from a brain injury (such as stroke, brain tumor, accident, or infection). While aphasia can affect one’s ability to speak, understand, read and write, it does not affect intellect. Many Americans do not know what aphasia is. Please do not judge too quickly ( or at all) if a person takes “too long” to respond. They are not deficient, “out of it,” or high. They may have aphasia.
Speech pathology, therapy, and organizations like the Saguaro Center of Speech and Language, or Friends of Aphasia offer wonderful support and training to recognize aphasia and deal with it. Brain injury survivors, family members, caregivers can learn communication strategies to use with someone who has aphasia. It can get better!
There are several types of aphasia.
The most common types of aphasia are:
- Expressive aphasia, also called Broca’s or non-fluent aphasia. Some people cannot find the correct word – it’s more than “on the tip of my tongue.” It might keep just fading in and out- enough where the person can only say one or two words, or gives up and is silent.
- Receptive aphasia, also called Wernicke’s or fluent aphasia. Spoken words don’t make sense. Sometimes speech comprehension is weak.
- Anomic aphasia- the person can speak and use correct grammar, but may have vague phrasing or substitute a word that is completely unrelated.
- Global aphasia makes both speaking and understanding speech difficult or almost minimal.
Regional Neurological Associates
Help for Aphasia. Make It a Set-up for Success!
10 tips for improving communication with someone who has aphasia:
- Continue to treat the person with aphasia as a mature adult.
- Reduce background noises, such as the radio, TV and other conversations.
- Reduce visual distractions, including the TV and people moving around the area.
- Be sure you have the person’s attention before speaking to them.
- Keep messages short and simple. Speak slowly but naturally. Speaking louder doesn’t increase understanding.
- Use gestures, facial cues and voice intonation to help the person understand the message, even if they don’t understand the words.
- Don’t assume they understand what you’re saying. Your loved one may respond with head nods and sounds of agreement but still not understand what’s being said.
- Encourage communication and be patient.
- Give your loved one plenty of time to respond, and try not to answer for them.
- Include the person when they’re present. Don’t talk about them as if they aren’t there. Just as you shouldn’t assume comprehension, don’t assume lack of comprehension.
Each spoken word is a triumph.
You are more than your words; you are a story waiting to be told.”
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.