One in three stroke patients is left with sequelae that require language recovery after a stroke, according to a report by the British Stroke Association.
Unfortunately, people are often judged by the way they speak. From the outside, a person who has difficulty communicating is often misrepresented, believing that his or her intellectual capacity is also affected. But this is not the case at all, at least for patients who have suffered a stroke and are left with such a language disorder.
For the patient, the ability to communicate depends on which part of the brain has been affected and to what extent. Not being able to express in words what you are thinking is a huge frustration and can deepen the feeling of helplessness and depression of the person in question. Also, the family and loved ones may have difficulty relating to the patient and may feel embarrassed in certain situations.
Language recovery after stroke it is a long process and requires a lot of patience and experience from the medical staff, but also from the loved ones. Its role is to regain the patient’s lost functions, at least the basic ones, so that he regains his independence and can be reintegrated into society.
For example, speech therapists have an important role in language recovery after stroke, but also friends or relatives must understand that their help is invaluable in such moments.
What must be remembered is that the person who has suffered a stroke is the same as before, only that in such moments they face obstacles that are not easy, but not impossible to overcome.
Language disorders faced by patients after a stroke
The main problems for stroke survivors are:
- movement disorders
- loss of sensitivity
- language disorders
- memory loss
- slow thinking
- emotional hypersensitivity
- paralysis or muscle weakness
- breathing difficulties
We will continue to refer to language disorders faced by patients in the post-stroke recovery process. There are three conditions that affect the scope of communication that can occur as a result of a stroke:
The patient may experience either one of these problems or several at the same time.
All involve the inability, in one form or another, to read, write or speak. This means that it is difficult for the patient to understand long and complex sentences, especially if there are loud sounds in the background or a person speaks loudly. The patient feels as if others are speaking to him in a foreign language, and his language can be incoherent.
If the patient has suffered injuries in the Broca region of the brain, then he will understand what those around him are saying, but will not be able to express himself. Even if he finds his words in his mind, he cannot say them or put them together so as to form coherently and grammatically correct sentences. He can feel the words “on the tip of his tongue,” but he cannot articulate them.
Another situation is where the patient finds his words, but cannot speak them correctly because he suffers from muscle weakness in the tongue. It should be noted that this condition does not reflect the patient’s intellect, but only his physical inability to speak.
Fatigue is another common symptom in these patients, as the conversations seem demanding. And stress can exacerbate language difficulties, especially if the patient loses patience and feels that he is not making progress. To these are added depression, which occurs in most cases.
What is the role of the speech therapist in language recovery after stroke
Communication therapy is an essential part of the recovery process for patients who have suffered a stroke. The speech therapist will re-teach the patient how to swallow, how to breathe correctly, how to articulate words.
Some basic activities related to the recovery of functions include:
- repetition of words
- performing certain tasks
- the read and writing
- use of symbols and drawings
Other methods by which language can be regained are: listening to music, looking carefully at the person being talked to, speaking slowly and coherently, in a normal tone, using short sentences, eliminating loud background noises, writing words on paper, etc.
It is also important for a patient to be given the chance to say what he or she is feeling, without being interrupted or corrected.
What close people should not do:
- not to finish the sentence started by the patient
- not to speak too fast
- not to label the patient as “stupid” or “hard-headed”
- not to underestimate him and not to treat him like a child
What the patient can do
There are several ways in which language can be improved without specialized medical help. These include:
- repetition of words, with special emphasis on vowels and consonants
- using children’s books to relearn writing
- reciting some verses from your favorite musical pieces
- watching TV programs
- relaxing conversations in the company of loved ones
Even if the recovery of the tongue after the stroke is not always possible or complete, it is important that the patient receives help, perseveres and does not give up if the results do not appear immediately.
The recovery process after stroke can be seen as a second chance at life, as a zero moment in which the patient is reborn, learns the first steps or the first words again, and this gift must be appreciated.
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