Aphasia is a disorder that affects how people communicate. It affects how a person understands or uses words, but it does not affect their intelligence. They often find it hard to find the right word or have difficulty speaking. In some instances, they have difficulty understanding what someone is saying, find it hard to read and comprehend words, or have difficulty writing words and numbers. Aphasia generally affects older adults more than younger, and it is especially prevalent in those who have had a stroke. There are a number of different types of aphasia, including expressive aphasia.
Expressive aphasia affects how a person communicates with others. They have no problem reading or understanding others, but they aren’t capable of communicating their thoughts. They know exactly what they want to say, but physically forming the words or writing them down is very difficult. They may not be able to come up with the words they want to use or they may inadvertently use the wrong word in conversation. This often leads to frustration and emotional stress, especially if they condition does not improve over time.
Expressive aphasia, like all types of aphasia, can be caused by several different things. Generally, aphasia is caused by an injury to the brain or by a stroke that damages the parts of the brain that handle language and communication. One study shows that up to 40 percent of all stroke patients will develop some form of aphasia. However, aphasia can also be caused by several other things, including dementia, brain infection, Alzheimer’s disease, or a brain tumor. In a few rare cases, aphasia is a symptom of epilepsy or another type of neurological disorder.
All forms of aphasia can vary in their severity. Some cases are very mild. In the case of expressive aphasia, a person may occasionally grope for the words they want to say or can’t remember how to spell a word when writing. In severe cases, they may always find it difficult to communicate their ideas and may have to really work at speaking or writing. Often, severe expressive aphasia leads to a person withdrawing from social interaction and can lead to severe depression.
Expressive aphasia is usually diagnosed while a doctor is treating brain injury, a tumor, or a stroke. In some cases, it is very easy to tell when a patient has expressive aphasia, but in some mild cases, it isn’t. A doctor may ask the patient a number of questions. He may also hold up objects and ask the patient to name them. This can help determine just how severe the expressive aphasia is.
There are several ways of treating expressive aphasia, but these treatment options depend on the underlying cause, the age of the patient, and how severely the communication section of the brain was damaged. First, the underlying cause may be treated. Removing a brain tumor, for example, may cause the patient’s aphasia to get much better. For those who have had a stroke, working with a speech pathologist can help. The pathologist will engage the patient in different speech exercises and may help teach the person how to communicate in other ways. This may involve using flash cards or other non-spoken forms of communication. They may also draw or write on paper if that’s easier for them.
If you suffer from expressive aphasia, there are several things to remember. First, carry a small card with you to show to people that explains your condition and what it means. This way, they will not become frustrated or think that you are incapable of forming thoughts. Also remember to keep calm and to speak slowly. Getting frustrated with your disability will not help anyone.
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Please consider:
Developed by a Clinical Psychologist, Talky2 is a Free App that helps those with Aphasia express what is hard to put into words. Go to http://www.talky2.com for more info and then click on the Red Tab in the upper right hand corner to see how it works.
Thanking you in advance, Claudia Perez