Acquired Speech and Language Disorders

Acquired Speech and Language Disorders

line drawing of two people speaking

‘Acquired speech and language disorders’ refers to a group of disorders people may experience following an injury to their brain, such as a stroke or TBI (traumatic brain injury).

Our Services

  • The goal of language therapy is to improve the brain’s ability to understand and create language. This can include both spoken and written language, depending on a person’s goals and abilities.

    The first step in a language therapy program is for your clinician to complete an assessment. This may include client / family interviews, observation, formal assessments, and informal tasks. After assessment, your clinician will work with you to collaboratively set goals and create a personalized therapy plan

  • Motor speech disorders effect a person’s ability to physically produce speech. The two common types of motor speech disorders are Dysarthria and Apraxia.

    Dysarthria occurs when there is damage to the speech muscles or to the nerves that control the muscles. Apraxia is a ‘motor planning’ disorder, which means the brain has difficulty coordinating the muscles to produce speech. Both disorders can be targetted with specific therapy techniques.

  • Supported Communication strategies are a varierty of techniques that a communication partner can use in order to help the client get their message out. Different strategies will work better for different people, so it’s important to follow the client’s lead.

    Your clinician will teach you and your supporters the strategies and then help you come up with a plan for how to incorporate the strategies into daily life. You will also be provided with written and visual instructions to aid your practice.

  • An important part of any therpay plan is ensuring that the client is able to use their communication strategies in all of their environments. This can include restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, retail stores, etc..

    Your clinician can accompany you to any location in the community where you would like to practice using your speech / strategies.

 FAQs

  • ‘Speech’ refers to the sounds that come out of your mouth. Speech therapy focuses on improving the function of the muscles in your mouth and throat, also referred to as “articulators”.

    ‘Language’ refers to the content of speech, such as words and sentences. Langauge is created and understood in your brain, therefor, language therapy focuses on re-training the brain.

    It is common for stroke survivors and people who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries to experience difficulty with both speech and language.

  • This is a very common question, and unfortunately the answer is different for everyone. After injury, the brain experiences a certain amount of ‘spontaneous recovery’. The most spontaneous recovery tends to happen during the first two months post-injury, and can continue for up to 2 years post-injury. That being said, it is important to acknolwedge that your brain has sustained a serious injury and “back to normal” is not a realistic goal for everyone. Working with an SLP can help you find a new normal, and communicate functionally in a way that meets the needs of your daily life.

  • A communication partner refers to anyone that a person communicates with. For example, your spouse, children, and other family/friends are all your frequent communication partners.

  • When a person is experiencing speech/language difficulties, communicating can often be a stressful and frustrating experience. This can lead to people avoiding social situations and generally “shutting down”. It can significantly reduce a person’s stress and frustration if they know the person they are communicating with knows how to help them. You will be amazed at how helpful small changes can be, such as speaking slower, checking in to make sure you understood, and acknowledging their competence.