Aphasia

Aphasia illustration

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. It can affect the ability to speak, write, and understand verbal and written language. Aphasia typically occurs suddenly, often as a result of a stroke or head injury, but it can also develop slowly from a growing brain tumour or neurological disease.

Aphasia affects people of all ages, though it is most common in older adults. It does not affect intelligence — people with aphasia know what they want to say, but have difficulty expressing themselves clearly.

What are the Different Types of Aphasia?

There are several types of aphasia, each affecting communication in different ways:

Broca's Aphasia

Also known as non-fluent or expressive aphasia. People with Broca's aphasia know what they want to say but struggle to form words and sentences. Speech is often halting and effortful, with short phrases and omitted small words.

Wernicke's Aphasia

Also known as fluent aphasia. People speak in long, complex sentences that may not make sense, include unrecognisable words, or follow unexpected word order. Comprehension of others' speech is also significantly affected.

Global Aphasia

The most severe form, in which people lose almost all linguistic ability — both expression and comprehension are severely impaired. It often results from extensive damage to language areas of the brain.

Anomic Aphasia

A milder form of aphasia characterised by difficulty finding the right words, especially nouns and verbs. Speech is generally fluent but is interrupted by word-finding pauses and circumlocutions.

Primary Progressive Aphasia

A rare neurological syndrome where language capabilities slowly and progressively worsen over time. Unlike other forms of aphasia, primary progressive aphasia is caused by neurodegenerative diseases.

How Can Aabber Treat Speech Aphasia?

Aabber's speech-language pathologists provide personalised online therapy programmes tailored to the type and severity of aphasia. Our approach includes:

Comprehensive initial assessment to understand the nature and extent of communication difficulties
Individualised therapy targeting speaking, listening, reading, and writing
Evidence-based techniques such as Constraint-Induced Language Therapy (CILT) and script training
Regular progress reviews and therapy plan adjustments
Support and guidance for family members and carers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate verbally and in writing. It is usually caused by damage to the language areas of the brain, most commonly from a stroke.

What are the Different Faces of Aphasia?

Aphasia can present in many different ways depending on which brain regions are affected. The main types include Broca's, Wernicke's, Global, Anomic, and Primary Progressive Aphasia.

What Causes it?

The most common cause of aphasia is stroke. Other causes include traumatic brain injury, brain tumours, and progressive neurological diseases.

Is Aphasia Treatable?

Yes. Speech-language therapy is highly effective for many people with aphasia. With consistent therapy, most people see meaningful improvements in their ability to communicate.

What are the Common Symptoms of Aphasia?

Common symptoms include difficulty finding words, speaking in short or incomplete sentences, speaking in sentences that don't make sense, substituting one word for another, difficulty understanding others' speech, and trouble reading or writing.

How is Aphasia Diagnosed?

Aphasia is typically diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist using standardised language assessments in combination with medical imaging results provided by a medical professional.

How Can Aabber Treat Speech & Language Aphasia?

Aabber provides personalised online speech therapy delivered by certified speech-language pathologists. We conduct a full assessment and design a customised therapy plan targeting your specific communication needs.

How to Speak to Someone with Aphasia?

Speak slowly and clearly, use short sentences, give the person time to respond, avoid interrupting, and use visual aids, gestures, or writing to support understanding. Most importantly, be patient and supportive.

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