Aphasia FAQ

A Devastating Disorder

Imagine struggling to say your own name, to write a simple email, or to read the newspaper. These are realities for individuals living with aphasia.

Aphasia is a language disorder that robs individuals of their ability to speak, understand, read, and write. It is caused by damage to the language areas of the brain. Typically, it results from a stroke, but it can also be caused by a traumatic brain injury, a brain tumor, a brain infection, or brain degeneration.

2,000,000

Americans Are Affected by Aphasia

UP TO 40%

of Stroke survivors acquire aphasia

180,000

Americans acquire Aphasia each year

84%

of people have never heard of aphasia
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What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder which affects one or several areas of communication:

  • verbal expression (speaking)
  • auditory comprehension (understanding what others say)
  • writing
  • reading
What Causes Aphasia?

Aphasia is caused by damage to language areas of the brain. Damage to the brain can be the result of any of the following:

  • stroke (CVA-cerebrovascular accident) (most common cause)
  • transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  • head injury
  • brain tumor
  • surgery
  • encephalitis
  • degeneration (primary progressive aphasia, PPA)
How Common Is Aphasia?

It is more common than you may think:

• it affects over 2 million Americans
• based on national estimates, over 6,000 people in Pima County are living with aphasia
• more than 180,000 Americans acquire the disorder each year
• it is more common than Parkinson’s Disease, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy

And the numbers are growing:

  • There is a growing number of individuals in stroke-prone ages
    • US population is both increasing and aging
    • stroke incidence doubles with each decade of life after age 55
  • We are seeing an increase in survival rates after stroke
    • emergency response times for stroke are decreasing and acute intervention procedures are improving, resulting in improved survival rates
    • new medications and maintenance regimens are extending stroke survivors’ lifespans
Who Can Get Aphasia?
  • Aphasia is more common among older individuals because they are more likely to suffer damage as their brains age BUT…it can occur in people of all ages
  • it affects people of all races and nationalities
  • it affects both men and women
Does everyone with Aphasia have the same types of problems?
  • No! In fact, it is unlikely you will ever meet two people who have exactly the same language problems
  • problems can range from mild to profound
  • each of the communication areas (speaking, understanding, reading, writing) can be affected to varying degrees
What OTHER communication problems might come along with Aphasia?
  • Apraxia of Speech (AOS): motor planning disorder in which the brain struggles to plan and sequence the movements needed for speech. This can cause inconsistent speech sound errors and difficulty with timing, making verbal communication incredibly difficult.
  • Dysarthria: weakness, slowness, or incoordination of the speech mechanism
  • Everyone is different! Those diagnosed with aphasia can also experience different speech disorders, making overall communication even more difficult
How will you or your loved one recover?

Recovery from aphasia due to stroke or brain injury looks different for every person, but improvement is possible. Many people regain communication skills over time through speech therapy, practice, support, and meaningful conversation with others. Recovery can continue long after a stroke or brain injury. 

The amount and speed of recovery often depend on factors such as:

  • The size and location of the brain injury
  • Overall health and age
  • How soon therapy begins
  • Frequency of communication practice
  • Support from family, friends, and community
What is PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE APHASIA (PPA)?
Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a condition in which deterioration of the language areas of the brain leads to greater and greater difficulty with communication (speaking, understand, reading, writing) over time. As additional areas of the brain deteriorate, other cognitive skills (memory, judgement, caring for oneself) are impacted.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF APHASIA ON QUALITY OF LIFE?
Research has shown that aphasia has a greater negative impact on a person’s quality of life than cancer or Alzheimer’s Disease (Lam & Wodchis, 2010)
  • Researchers studied health-related factors affecting quality of life of residents in hospital-based long-term care facilities in Ontario, Canada.
  • They examined the impact of 60 different diseases and 15 conditions on quality of life of 66,193 people.
  • Results showed aphasia has the largest negative impact on quality of life, more than cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
  • The negative effects of aphasia on an individual’s quality of life include their inability to communicate with and engage their family, friends, doctors and their wider community.