Aphasia is “an acquired neurogenic language disorder resulting from an injury to the brain—most typically, the left hemisphere. Aphasia involves varying degrees of impairment in four primary areas:
- Spoken language expression
- Spoken language comprehension
- Written expression
- Reading comprehension”
(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, n.d.)
Treatment
Aphasia can take many forms: difficulty speaking; difficulty understanding speech and talking excessively; or a combination of the two. There are also other less common forms of the disorder. Severity can range from mild to profound.
Treatment plans and goals are based upon the results of these comprehensive evaluations. Results are presented to both the client and family in terms and language that is clearly communicated and understood. Frequent updates concerning progress are also presented. Families are encouraged to attend the treatment sessions and to be trained as home therapists so that practice and progress can continue on those days that the client and family are not attending the clinic.
Additional Resources
National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health
Reference
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Aphasia. (Practice Portal). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Clinical-Topics/Aphasia/