Select Page
FAQs -website size

Frequently Asked Questions 

Question:

What is aphasia?

 

Answer:

 

Aphasia is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written. Aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write.  It is a communication disorder that results from damage or injury to language parts of the brain that can occur with autoimmune encephalitis.

Aphasia gets in the way of a person’s ability to use or understand words. Aphasia does not impair the person’s intelligence. People who have aphasia may have difficulty speaking and finding the “right” words to complete their thoughts. They may also have problems understanding conversation, reading and comprehending written words, writing words, and using numbers.

If you know someone with aphasia …

Do:

  • Say when you don’t understand – it’s not a problem, you just need to try it again.
  • Stick to one topic at a time and make sure you both know when you’ve moved on to a new one.
  • Keep it simple – keep sentences short and ask one question at a time.
  • Use whatever you can – point to things, make gestures, write, draw, hum or sing.

Don’t

  • Finish sentences or guess what the other person is trying to say – it’s extremely frustrating. Just give them the time they need to get there themselves
  • Pretend to understand what they’ve told you – always check
  • Forget that you’re talking to an adult who has problems with their communication, not their intelligence
  • Rush – give time to understand and respond

To better understand aphasia in the context of AE, it is important to first know how the brain processes language as well as the different types of aphasia that can occur as a result of damage to any of these language centers. Our handout about aphasia explains more. See handout.

 

aphasia-multi-tasking_10-4-20-FB
aphasia_2

Our website is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice. Nothing contained on our website is intended to be used as medical advice. No content is intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice. Although THE INTERNATIONAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY  provides a great deal of information about AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS, all content is provided for informational purposes only. The International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society  cannot provide medical advice.


International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society is a charitable non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2016 by Tabitha Andrews Orth, Gene Desotell and Anji Hogan-Fesler. Tax ID# 81-3752344. Donations raised directly supports research, patients, families and caregivers impacted by autoimmune encephalitis and to educating healthcare communities around the world. Financial statement will be made available upon request.

CONTACT US


352-527-2470

IAES@AUTOIMMUNE-ENCEPHALITIS.ORG

Translate »