Speech, language and communication difficulties

A guide for patients and carers

Author(s): Written by Claire Gatehouse, Chief Speech and Language Therapist, Regional Rehabilitation Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, with contributions from Richard Wise, Reader in Neurology/Consultant Neurologist, Imperial School of Medicine; and Ann Marie O’Connor, Head of Speech and Language Therapy, Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability.

Contents

• Introduction
• What is communication?
• Why do neurological disorders affect communication?
• Language difficulties: What is language?
• What is aphasia?
• Language difficulties: Speech and language for people with aphasia
• Language difficulties: Recovery
• Language Difficulties: Progressive aphasia
• Language difficulties: Personal experiences of aphasia
• Language difficulties: What can you do to help a person with aphasia communicate?
• Speech difficulties
• Speech difficulties: How is speech affected in people with neurological disorders?
• Speech difficulties: Speech and language therapy for people with dysarthria
• Speech difficulties: Medical and surgical treatment
• Speech difficulties: Personal experiences
• Speech difficulties: What can you do to help communication?
• Other communication problems
• Further reading
• Other organisations that may be able to help
• Your feedback on Speech, language and communication difficulties