Five things to know about aphasia
One million Americans live with aphasia, according to the National Institutes of Health. They may struggle to find the right word, write a sentence, or understand what’s being said to them. This language disorder is caused by damage to the brain and affects patients in varied ways depending on what part of the brain is impacted.
We asked M Health Fairview Speech Pathologist Sharon Raasch, MA, CCC-SLP, how the disorder can affect patients and what support is available to them and their families. Read on for five things to know about aphasia.
Aphasia is commonly caused by a stroke, aneurysm, or other brain injury.
Aphasia is a language disorder that can happen when there is damage to parts of the brain that process language. In most cases, it comes on after a stroke, but it can also be caused by a traumatic brain injury, aneurysm, or tumor.
“When people have a stroke, part of the brain is damaged due to a blockage or reduction of blood flow,” said Raasch. “Another type of stroke can be caused by bleeding around the brain, including from a ruptured aneurysm or head trauma.”
Other health conditions like uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure can increase the risk of a stroke and therefore, in some instances, aphasia.
There’s also primary progressive aphasia, a type not caused by a stroke or brain injury. It’s a form of dementia caused by other neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s or frontotemporal lobar degeneration, according to the National Aphasia Association.
Aphasia can affect a person’s ability to communicate or understand language.
“Different parts of the brain are responsible for different areas of communication,” said Raasch. “Aphasia affects people in different ways depending on where the brain damage occurs.”
Aphasia can affect both written and spoken language. Raasch says some of her patients have difficulty reading or spelling words. Other common symptoms include producing speech that doesn’t make sense to the listener or saying one word in place of another.
“For example, the patient may say ‘cat’ when they mean to say ‘dog’,” said Raasch.
It can also affect a person’s ability to understand what is being said to them. Raasch works with family members or caregivers to adjust their communication styles. She often recommends modeling what they’re saying, using pictures or visual cues, and providing simple choices.
“Be patient; give the patient with aphasia time to communicate,” said Raasch. “If someone with aphasia is having difficulty understanding and responding, simplify what you’re asking. For example, avoid asking too many questions or providing too many options at once. Present the person with one option at a time and give them time to respond.”
Aphasia doesn’t affect a person’s intelligence.
Raasch emphasizes that aphasia affects a person’s ability to process language, not their intelligence. If someone with aphasia says ‘dog’ when they mean to say ‘cat,’ it doesn’t mean they don’t know the difference between a dog and a cat.
“Aphasia doesn’t affect the way they’re thinking. It doesn’t mean they’re less intelligent,” said Raasch. “People with aphasia can lead functional lives. They can return to work, drive again, garden. Life isn’t over if you have aphasia.”
It’s treatable, and ongoing speech therapy can help.
Aphasia is treatable, which is where Raasch comes in. Speech-language therapy is the main form of treatment, and M Health Fairview has many speech-language pathologists throughout Minnesota who specialize in caring for patients with aphasia.
Raasch uses many strategies to help both patients and their caregivers cope with the disorder. These strategies depend on each person’s form of aphasia and the severity of the brain injury that caused it.
“We often have one-on-one sessions working on strategies to help improve communication,” said Raasch. “These might include describing, using gestures, writing things down, or using different devices or picture cards. I’ve had some patients who have had a milder stroke, and they’re speaking again and back at work. Other people are on a different path and may rely more on other tools, but aphasia is treatable in the sense that they can learn new ways to communicate.”
Raasch also works with caregivers to help them establish these new modes of communication at home. Additionally, she connects patients with aphasia and their loved ones to community support resources.
"There are several types of community support group, including aphasia conversation groups where everyone in the group has aphasia and they discuss a variety of topics, online support groups, and support groups sponsored by M Health Fairview,” said Raasch. “Part of my job is providing patients and their families with community resources that can help them continue to live an active life.”
