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Speech, language and communication difficulties
A guide for patients and carers
Introduction
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.
This booklet aims to provide an understanding of speech, language and communication and why these abilities can go wrong. It also provides information on what help is available and some ideas on how to help those who experience communication problems cope as best they can.
Many neurological disorders have the potential to affect speech and language in some way and the range of these disorders is very great. However, individuals with the same disorder, or disease, can be affected quite differently, so bear in mind that the descriptions in this booklet are based on broad generalisations about neurological disorders and will not be relevant to everyone with a particular disease. The communication difficulties which can occur with disorders such as strokes, head injuries, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease among others will be covered, but detailed information on other aspects of the various neurological diseases will not be given here, and you are referred to other booklets in the series for more detailed information.
Many neurological disorders have the potential to affect speech and language in some way and the range of these disorders is very great. However, individuals with the same disorder, or disease, can be affected quite differently, so bear in mind that the descriptions in this booklet are based on broad generalisations about neurological disorders and will not be relevant to everyone with a particular disease. The communication difficulties which can occur with disorders such as strokes, head injuries, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease among others will be covered, but detailed information on other aspects of the various neurological diseases will not be given here, and you are referred to other booklets in the series for more detailed information.
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Contents
- Introduction
- What is communication?
- Why do neurological disorders affect communication?
- Language difficulties: What is language?
- Language difficulties: 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
