Can speech return to normal after a stroke?

You can’t predict how a person will recover from a stroke. But usually, communication problems improve naturally over weeks and months. The brain can often adapt and pick up new skills to make up for some of what it lost. However, some people do have lasting communication problems.

When should you start aphasia therapy?

Treatment

• Starts early. Some studies have found that therapy is most effective when it begins soon after the brain injury.
• Often works in groups. In a group setting, people with aphasia can try out their communication skills in a safe environment.
• May include use of computers.

How long does it take for speech to improve after a stroke?

Most individuals see a significant improvement in speech within the first six months of suffering a stroke. During this time, the brain is healing and repairing itself, so recovery is much quicker. But for others, the recovery process can be slow and their aphasia may endure for several more months and even years.

How do you assess a stroke speech?

Assess Comprehension of language: you may try and ask the patient to execute a 3-step non-verbal task, e.g. ‘touch your chin, then your nose, then your ear’. It is important that you give no visual clues and the instructions communicated only through the content of your speech.

How does speech therapy help after a stroke?

The language center resides in the left hemisphere of the brain. Therefore, aphasia often occurs after a left hemisphere stroke or brain injury. Speech therapy exercises help improve language skills by sparking neuroplasticity : the brain’s ability to rewire itself.

Is there a way to communicate after a stroke?

But even if you don’t recover completely, there are many ways to communicate that don’t rely on speaking. Lots of stroke survivors continue to live full and happy lives, even though they still have problems with communication. Are there treatments that can help? Communication problems can be treated using speech and language therapy.

What happens to your language after a stroke?

It can also affect your ability to read and write. It happens when you’re no longer able to understand or use language. Aphasia is a common problem after stroke and around a third of stroke survivors have it.

Can a stroke cause apraxia of speech and aphasia?

Aphasia, apraxia of speech and oral apraxia are communication disorders that can result from a stroke.