Aphasia

A person with aphasia may have trouble understanding, speaking, reading, or writing. Speech-
language pathologists can help.

Aphasia is a language disorder that happens when you have brain damage. Your brain has two
halves. Language skills are in the left half of the brain in most people. Damage on that side of your
brain may lead to language problems. Damage on the right side of your brain may cause other
problems, like poor attention or memory.

Aphasia may make it hard for you to understand, speak, read, or write. It does not make you less
smart or cause problems with the way you think. Brain damage can also cause other problems
along with aphasia. You may have muscle weakness in your mouth, called dysarthria. You may
have trouble getting the muscles of your mouth to move the right way to say words,
called apraxia. You can also have swallowing problems, called dysphagia.

Signs of Aphasia

Aphasia can lead to a number of different problems. You may have trouble talking, understanding,
reading, and writing.

Talking

You may find that you:

 Can't think of the words you want to say.

 Say the wrong word. Sometimes, you may say something related, like "fish" instead of
"chicken." Or you might say a word that does not make much sense, like "radio" for "ball."

 Switch sounds in words. For example, you might say "wish dasher" for "dishwasher."

 Use made-up words.

 Have a hard time saying sentences. Single words may be easier.

 Put made-up words and real words together into sentences that do not make sense.

Understanding

You may:

 Not understand what others say. This may happen more when they speak fast, such as on
the news. You might have more trouble with longer sentences, too.

 Find it hard to understand what others say when it is noisy or you are in a group.

 Have trouble understanding jokes.

Reading and Writing

You may have trouble with the following things:

 Spelling and putting words together to write sentences.

 Using numbers or doing math. For example, it may be hard to tell time, count money, or
add and subtract.

Causes of Aphasia

Aphasia is most often caused by stroke. However, any type of brain damage can cause aphasia.
This includes brain tumours, traumatic brain injury, and brain disorders that get worse over time.

Testing for Aphasia

You should see a doctor if you have trouble speaking or understanding what people say. A doctor
will determine if there is a medical cause for your problem. A speech-language pathologist, or SLP,
will test your speech and language skills. The SLP will ask you about the problems you have and
what you want to work on. The SLP will test how well you:

 Understand words, questions, directions, and stories.

 Say words and sentences. The SLP will ask you to name objects, describe pictures, and
answer questions.

 Read and write. The SLP will have you write letters, words, and sentences. You will also
read short stories and answer questions about them.

 Find other ways to share your ideas when you have trouble talking. This may include
pointing or using other gestures and drawing pictures.

Treatments for Aphasia

There are many ways to work on your language. The type of treatment you get depends on what
you want and need. You may work with an SLP on your own or in a small group. You may want
your family to be a part of your treatment. They can help you use the skills you learn with the SLP
at home. You may also join a support group or Stroke Club for social activities.

Do you speak more than one language? You may talk better in one language and have more
trouble in the other. Or, you may have trouble in both. You should work with an SLP who speaks
both languages if you can.

In severe cases, you may need to find other ways to answer questions or tell people what you
want. These may include simple hand gestures, writing, pointing to letters or pictures, or using a
computer. This is augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC.

The SLP can help you get ready to go back to work or school if that is your goal. You may need to
change how you do your work. Or you may need special equipment to help you communicate.
Your SLP can work with your boss or teachers to make these changes.

See ASHA information for professionals on the Practice Portal's Aphasia page.

Tips for Communicating With a Person Who Has Aphasia

To help me talk with you:

1. Get my attention before you start speaking.

2. Keep eye contact with me. Watch my body language and the gestures I use.

3. Talk to me in a quiet place. Turn off the TV or radio.

4. Keep your voice at a normal level. You do not need to talk louder unless I ask you to.

5. Keep the words you use simple but adult. Don't "talk down" to me.

6. Use shorter sentences. Repeat key words that you want me to understand.

7. Slow down your speech.

8. Give me time to speak. It may take me longer. Try not to finish my sentences for me.

9. Try using drawings, gestures, writing, and facial expressions. I may understand those
better than words sometimes.

10. Ask me to draw, write, or point when I am having trouble talking.

11. Ask me "yes" and "no" questions. Those are easier than questions that I have to answer in
words or sentences.

12. Let me make mistakes sometimes. I may not be able to say everything perfectly all the
time.

13. Let me try to do things for myself. I may need to try a few times. Help me when I ask for it.

What is dyslexia?

The student who struggles with reading and spelling often puzzles teachers and parents. The
student receives the same classroom instruction as other students but continues to struggle with
some or all of the many facets of reading and spelling. This student may have dyslexia.

What are the primary symptoms of dyslexia?

The primary symptoms are:

Problems learning the letter sounds for reading and spelling

Difficulty in reading single words, such as on flash cards and in lists (decoding)
Lack of fluency

Reading slowly with many mistakes

Poor spelling

Poor visual gestalt / coding (orthographic coding)

Understanding dyslexia:

Dyslexia is not a disease! The word dyslexia comes from the Greek language and means difficulty
with words. Individuals with dyslexia have trouble with aspects of reading, spelling and writing.

Dyslexia and reading difficulties are on a Continuum:

Dyslexia occurs on a continuum from mild to severe and no two are alike. There is no cure for
dyslexia since it is neurobiological, however with appropriate evidenced based instruction aimed
towards their learning needs they can learn and succeed.

Central Difficulty:

A student with dyslexia will have a particular difficulty with single word reading networks that are
brain based (neurological). Individuals with dyslexia often are able to access higher level language
skills to support their reading of connected text (stories) and this ability to 'compensate' may mask
their underlying difficulties with single word reading (decoding).The central difficulty for a student
with dyslexia is to convert letter symbols to their correct sound (decode) and convert sounds to
their correct written symbol(spell). Research into dyslexia subtypes indicates that poor visual (i.e.,
orthographic) coding can also be part of the difficulty.

What causes dyslexia?

Dyslexia is:

Highly hereditary.

A difference in the way the brain process

"Paying attention to empowerment, emotional intelligence and self-esteem is vital when it comes
to dyslexia and associated reading challenges". Jodi Clements

Strengths of dyslexia:

Research has indicated that we should be wary about automatically assuming that language
processing difficulties/differences associated with dyslexia are deficits. Some of the differences
that individuals with dyslexia display may actually confer advantages for some kinds of thinking or
encourage them to find different paths to learning (Singleton)

The following are some of the strengths that individuals with dyslexia may display:

Inquiring mind

Problem Solving

Comprehending new ideas

Generating ideas

Analytic thinking

Creative thinking

3-D construction

Finding different strategies

Seeing the big picture