There’s Help for Those Dealing with Aphasia 

If you or someone you care about is experiencing communication difficulties after a stroke or brain injury, the Speech-Language Institute (SLI) has a team of trained speech-language pathologists (SLPs) ready to assist. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, aphasia is a communication disorder caused by damage to the areas of the brain responsible for language expression and comprehension. As a result, this can lead to problems with speaking, listening, reading, and writing. While an individual with aphasia may have difficulties in these areas, it is important to note their intelligence remains unaffected. 

Most often, aphasia occurs after a stroke or when there is damage on the left side of an individual’s brain which houses language abilities, logical reasoning, and analytical skills. Brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, and certain neurological disorders can also lead to aphasia. 

Each person’s experience with aphasia is unique, as the signs and symptoms vary based on the extent and location of the brain damage.  Some general symptoms of aphasia include:

Difficulty producing language  

• Word-finding difficulties 
• Substituting one word for another word. The substitute may be related, or completely unrelated to the intended word (ex: saying, “chicken” instead of “fish” or saying, “radio” rather than “ball”) 
• Switching sounds within words 
• Using made-up words 
• Difficulty putting words together to create sentences 
• Generating sentences that are illogical or incomplete   

Difficulty understanding language  

• Misunderstanding what others are saying, especially if they speak fast or use long sentences 
• Difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise, especially when in a group 
• Difficulty understanding non-literal language and humor  

Difficulty reading and writing  

• Difficulty reading and comprehending words  
• Difficulty writing letters or spelling words 
• Difficulty telling time, counting money, adding and subtracting, etc.   

If you know someone or meet someone with aphasia here are a few ways you can support communication:  

• Use the person’s name before speaking to ensure you have their attention 
• Maintain eye contact 
• Avoid communicating with any background noise or distractions 
• If a communication breakdown occurs, try asking “yes” or “no” questions 
• Stay within the same topic when communicating. Don’t switch back and forth. 
• Avoid “baby talk” or speaking to them like a child 

Remember, aphasia is a loss of language, not intelligence.  

The SLI offers speech therapy to individuals who may have aphasia or are experiencing other communication challenges. It offers individual therapy as well as a bi-weekly Aphasia Support Group, Book Club, and Poetry Club. 

According to Alison Finkelstein, MA, CCC-SLP, clinical educator at SLI, the Aphasia Support Group, the Read Between the Lines Book Club, and Finding Our Words Poetry Club have benefitted both the clients and the Master of Science in SLP student clinicians who facilitate the groups.   

In the Aphasia Support Group, the clients can use their social communication and problem-solving skills in a supportive setting while discussing topics such as self-care, relationships, managing emotions, and aphasia advocacy. The Book Club, for those clients who can read at a story level or higher, provides an opportunity for members to discuss selected books chapter by chapter with supportive worksheets and slides prepared by graduate students. The Poetry Club brings out creativity as a means of communication even for those clients with limited verbal expression. The graduate students help facilitate the reading and writing of poetry through guided instruction and prompts. 

“The students in all of the groups learn not only how to educate and facilitate but come away with a greater understanding of how our clients living with aphasia participate in life and manage in the real world,” said Finkelstein. “Our students come away thankful for the opportunity to learn more about living with aphasia from our clients, so it's truly a symbiotic relationship.” 

Schedule an appointment with an expert at SLI today by calling 215.780.3150.