blog home Brain Injury Personal Injury Does Someone You Love Suffer from Aphasia?

By Renee Nordstrand on July 15, 2022

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Aphasia is a neurological condition that impairs your ability to speak or understand others. Strokes and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the two leading causes of aphasia. TBI results from a blunt force trauma to the head, and it may result from an automobile collision or other type of accident such as a fall.

Aphasia can also be a sign of serious medical disorders such as dementia, infection, or Alzheimer’s Disease. If you notice that you or a loved one is having difficulty speaking, reading, or understanding words, make sure they get medical attention right away.

Symptoms of Aphasia

The person suffering from aphasia may lack physical symptoms. And although aphasia can be accompanied by memory problems, confusion, and loss of intellectual capacity, many people with aphasia don’t suffer any loss of intelligence.

Everyone who is struggling with aphasia will have one or more issues when it comes to processing language. These may include:

  • Only able to speak a few words at a time
  • Inability to comprehend spoken language
  • Difficulty reading and writing
  • Inability to speak fluently
  • Difficulty pronouncing words
  • Using made up words or names
  • Fragmented speech
  • Trouble using numbers

Aphasia is likely to damage a person’s relationships, job performance, and day to day functions.

Aphasia Caused by Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the second leading cause of aphasia. Blunt force trauma to the head can damage brain tissue used for processing speech and language. TBI may result from the following types of incidents:

  • Falls such as a slip and fall on an slippery pavement or falling downstairs
  • Motor vehicle crashes such as rear-end accidents, head-on collisions, and accidents involving big rig trucks
  • Violent attacks with fists or heavy objects like pipes or baseball bats
  • Gunshot wounds and explosions that may be suffered in combat
  • Pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle accidents where the victim has no seatbelts or secured cabin to protect themselves

Treatment for Aphasia

People who are suffering from aphasia may never completely recover their language abilities. And they often require a long period of rest and recuperation for related issues such as strokes or TBI. But there are therapies that may help you restore your language ability somewhat.

Treatment is carried out by a speech and language therapist (SLT), and counseling may also be recommended to help the patient adjust.

Speech and language therapy may provide the following benefits:

  • Reducing impairment
  • Increasing activity and participation
  • Enhancing communication
  • Using computer programs and apps

Were You Injured in an Accident?

You shouldn’t have to pay for injuries caused by another person’s negligence. At NordstrandBlack PC, we can help you get a settlement that will make it easier to put your life back together.

Contact our Santa Barbara law firm today by calling (805) 962-2022 for a FREE consultation. At NordstrandBlack PC, we’re on your side.