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Speech therapy for stroke patients

Speech therapy can help those whose speech and language skills are affected by a brain injury. The main type of stroke is an ischemic stroke, in which the blood supply to part of the brain is reduced significantly or cut off. As a result, brain tissue can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs.

           

Some individuals who have had a stroke find speech difficulty because of challenges with annunciation; such patients with stroke may accompanied dysarthria and apraxia along with swallowing problem and this is why it is difficult to regain speech after a stroke and take bit longer period of time.

Research based practice with stroke survivors who had difficulty speaking or understanding speech showed significant improvement in language and communication skills after a short term of intensive speech therapy, where role of spontaneous period is crucial.

Language difficulty due to stroke is called as “Aphasia”

So let’s know what is aphasia?

Aphasia is a communication disorder that occurs due to brain damage in one or more areas that control language. It can interfere with your verbal communication, written communication, or both. It can cause problems with your ability to:

  • Read
  • Write
  • Speak
  • Understand speech
  • Listen

What are the symptoms of aphasia?

Symptoms of aphasia vary from mild to severe. They depend on where the damage occurs in your brain and the severity of that damage.

 

Aphasia can affect:

  • speaking
  • comprehension
  • reading
  • writing
  • expressive communication, which involves using words and sentences
  • receptive communication, which involves understanding the words of others

Symptoms that affect expressive communication can include:

  • speaking in short, incomplete sentences or phrases
  • speaking in sentences that other can’t understand
  • using the wrong words or nonsense words
  • using words in the wrong order

Symptoms that affect receptive communication can include:

  • difficulty understanding other people’s speech
  • difficulty following fast-paced speech
  • misunderstanding figurative speech

Types of aphasia

The four major types of aphasia are:

  • Fluent
  • Nonfluent
  • Conduction
  • Global

Fluent aphasia

Fluent aphasia is also called Wernicke’s aphasia. It typically involves damage to the middle left side of your brain. If you have this type of aphasia, you can speak but you have trouble understanding when others speak. If you have fluent aphasia, it’s likely you’ll:

  • be unable to understand and use language correctly
  • tend to speak in long, complex sentences that are meaningless and include incorrect or nonsense words
  • not realize that others can’t understand you

Nonfluent aphasia

Nonfluent aphasia is also called Broca’s aphasia. It typically involves damage to the left frontal area of your brain. If you have nonfluent aphasia, you’ll likely:

  • Speak in short, incomplete sentences
  • be able to convey basic messages, but you may be missing some words
  • Have a limited ability to understand what others say
  • Experience frustration because you realize that others can’t understand you
  • Have weakness or paralysis on the right side of your body

Conduction aphasia

Conduction aphasia typically involves trouble repeating certain words or phrases. If you have this type of aphasia, you’ll likely understand when others are talking. It’s also likely that others will understand your speech but you may have trouble repeating words and make some mistakes when speaking.

Global aphasia

Global aphasia typically involves major damage to the front and back of the left side of your brain. If you have this type of aphasia, you’ll likely:

  • Have severe problems using words
  • Have severe problems understanding words
  • Have limited ability to use a few words together

What causes aphasia?

Aphasia occurs due to damage to one or more areas of your brain that control language. When damage occurs, it can interrupt the blood supply to these areas. Without oxygen and nutrients from your blood supply, the cells in these parts of your brain die.

Aphasia can occur due to:

  • A brain tumor
  • An infection
  • Dementia or another neurological disorder
  • A degenerative disease
  • A head injury
  • A stroke

Strokes are the most common cause of aphasia. According to the National Aphasia Association, aphasia occurs in 25 to 40 percent of people who’ve had a stroke.

Treating aphasia:  Recommend would be speech-language therapy to treat aphasia. Speech recovery after stroke is slow & gradual. You should start it as early as possible after a brain injury. Your specific treatment plan by your communication specialist may involve:

  • Stroke recovery speech exercises to improve your communication skills.
  • Working in groups to practice your communication skills.
  • Testing your communication skills in real-life situations.
  • Learning to use other forms of communication, such as gestures, drawings, and computer-mediated communication.
  • Using computers to relearn word sounds and verbs.
  • Encouraging family involvement to help you communicate at home.

Speech recovery after stroke

Several factors determine your outlook:

  • The cause of the brain damage
  • The location of the brain damage
  • The severity of the brain damage+
  • Your age
  • Your overall health
  • Your motivation to follow your treatment plan

Talk to us @ E-HEAR AND SPEECH REHAB to get more information about your specific condition and long-term outlook.