What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by a stroke or other brain injury. Aphasia can affect speaking, understanding, reading, and/or writing abilities.

Individuals with aphasia can most often understand what you are saying, but they cannot express their thoughts the way they want to.

Please remember that people with aphasia are still as intelligent as they were before their injury. Aphasia affects language, not cognition.

Here are some tips when speaking with someone who has aphasia:

  1. Give them time to speak and express themselves

  2. Don’t speak for the person with aphasia (unless they ask you for help)

  3. If they take a longer time to process conversations, make sure you speak in a simple sentence structure

  4. Speak at a normal rate and don’t speak quickly during the conversation

  5. Communicate by whatever means necessary (writing, gesturing, drawing, pointing, etc.)

If you or someone you care for has aphasia, know that speech therapy can help even years later. There is always hope and no such thing as a plateau!

Neuro Speech Solutions is a private practice based in Buffalo, NY that specializes in aphasia recovery. We provide in-person therapy at our office in Amherst and can provide telehealth services to all of New York state.

Give us a call to set up an appointment (716) 817-8855