WHAT IS APHASIA?

April 4, 2018

Aphasia is a communication disorder that makes it difficult to speak, read and/or write. It can happen after a stroke or following a brain injury. 

Aphasia can affect a person’s ability to understand what is being said, or to express their thoughts in words. 

People who have aphasia can think clearly but they can have difficulty getting the messages in and out.

The condition often ‘hides’ people’s thoughts, ideas, personality, intelligence and competence but these things are still ‘inside’, e.g. “People who don’t know my husband has aphasia think he’s drunk”.

The most dramatic recovery from aphasia takes place in the first few WEEKS and MONTHS post stroke. There is a great deal of INDIVIDUAL VARIATION. 

Factors such as age, gender or aphasia ‘type’ make little contribution to predicting overall recovery. 

Some people recover their ability to communicate very quickly. For others, recovery can be a long, slow process.
Many people with aphasia may never be able to communicate in the same way they did before the stroke. Aphasia is often a chronic condition.

Speech and language therapy can help people with aphasia to regain confidence and skill in their communication.