Aphasia Treatment After Stroke
Susie Almon | posted December 14, 2011 | 
Aphasia is a loss of ability to understand or produce language, caused by brain damage. It is a common condition after a stroke and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is an integral part of regaining function. The SLP works collaboratively with the patient’s family and other medical professionals to address all of the person's recovery needs.
The SLP evaluates the individual and determines the type and severity of aphasia. The evaluation is done by assessing the person’s speech, understanding, expression, social communication, reading and writing.
The SLP conducts different types of therapy, such as cognitive linguistic, programmed simulation, PACE, stimulation-facilitation therapy and group therapy. The type of treatment depends on the needs and goals of the person with aphasia.
Another way to increase the effectiveness of aphasia therapy is for the SLP to use multiple forms of sensory stimuli. This could encompass auditory stimuli in the form of speech, visual stimuli in the form of photographs and olfactory stimuli in the form of a scent.
It has also been noted that gradual increases in the difficulty of language exercises practiced in therapy sessions improves the outcome.
Recovery is absolutely possible for people with aphasia and an SLP is part of the solution.
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