What Is Aphasia?
Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand, speak, read or write. It occurs when the parts of the brain responsible for language are damaged—most commonly after a stroke, brain injury or neurological illness. While aphasia does not affect intelligence, it can make communication frustrating and isolating for both the person affected and their loved ones. Aphasia can range from mild word-finding difficulties to more severe impairments that affect all forms of language.
Types of Aphasia
- Expressive (Broca’s) Aphasia: People with expressive aphasia know what they want to say but have trouble finding the right words or forming complete sentences. Speech may sound effortful, broken or telegraphic.
- Receptive (Wernicke’s) Aphasia: People with receptive aphasia may speak fluently but have difficulty understanding what others say. Their sentences may be long but lack meaning or include made-up words.
- Global Aphasia: This is the most severe type, involving significant difficulty with both understanding and expressing language. It usually results from extensive brain injury or a large stroke.
- Anomic Aphasia: Individuals with anomic aphasia primarily struggle with word-finding—especially names of people, objects or places—but may otherwise speak and understand well.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Aphasia
- Trouble finding the right words (word-finding difficulty)
- Speaking in short, incomplete sentences
- Using incorrect or made-up words
- Difficulty understanding what others say
- Problems with reading, writing or spelling
- Frustration during conversation
- Avoiding social interactions because of communication challenges
Causes of Aphasia
- Stroke (the most common cause)
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Brain tumors
- Neurological diseases such as dementia or primary progressive aphasia
- Infections or seizures affecting the brain
When To Seek Help
Contact a speech-language pathologist if you or a loved one:
- Has sudden or unexplained difficulty speaking, understanding, reading or writing
- Shows signs of language loss after a stroke or head injury
- Experiences frustration or withdrawal from conversation due to communication difficulties
Early intervention is critical—especially after a stroke—because the brain’s ability to reorganize and recover language functions is greatest in the first few months after injury.
How We Help
At the Center for Hearing and Speech, our licensed speech-language pathologists provide compassionate, evidence-based therapy to support adults living with aphasia. Our services include:
- Comprehensive language and communication assessments
- Individualized therapy focusing on speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Functional communication training for daily activities
- Support and education for families and caregivers
- Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when appropriate
- Collaboration with neurologists, rehabilitation specialists and healthcare teams
Supporting Recovery at Home
- Speak slowly and clearly, using short, simple sentences
- Give extra time for responses
- Use gestures, writing or pictures to support understanding
- Avoid correcting speech errors—focus on connection, not perfection
- Encourage participation in conversation and social activities
You’re Not Alone
Living with aphasia can be challenging, but recovery and improvement are possible with the right support. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or continuing your communication journey, we’re here to help.
Call Center for Hearing & Speech at (314) 968-4710 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
