Aphasia
July 13th 2010 -
Imagine being able to think comprehensive thoughts, but not being able to express them. Or listening to your best friend talk, but hearing her words in a foreign language you can’t understand. These are just a few of the unfortunate realities associated with the communication disorder Aphasia.If you’re new to the Aphasia train, it’s important to get a few facts straight. First of all, Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that does NOT affect intelligence, it impairs the ability to speak and understand others. This means that if you or someone you know is suffering from the disorder, they are still the same person they used to bethey just may not be able to express themselves or understand you. Imagine how frustrating it must be to not be able to make sense of the world you once felt so connected to.You’re probably wondering how such an unfortunate condition arises, and if it can happen to you. Aphasia is usually the result of a lesion on the language-relevant portion of the brain. Damage to the language areas may be caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Aphasia can also develop slowly by means of brain tumors or progressing neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Sadly, there is no one treatment proven to be effective for all types of aphasias.What’s the upside to this life altering battle? There are all sorts of support groups and foundations in existence to ensure patients with Aphasia are not alone and provided with all the things they need to make life as easy as possible. The largest of these organizations is the National Aphasia Association (NAA). The NAA is a nonprofit organization whose goals are to educate the public on Aphasia, conduct research, and offer support services for people with the Aphasia and their families.