APHASIA / LANGUAGE

Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to the parts of the brain that contain language. Aphasia causes problems with any or all of the following: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Damage to the left side of the brain causes aphasia for most right-handers and about half of left-handers. Individuals who experience damage to the right side of the brain may have additional difficulties beyond speech and language.

Individuals with aphasia may also have other problems, such as dysarthria, apraxia, or swallowing problems.

What are some signs or symptoms of aphasia?

Some people with aphasia have trouble using words and sentences (expressive aphasia). Some have problems understanding others (receptive aphasia). Others with aphasia struggle with both using words and understanding (global aphasia).

Aphasia can cause problems with spoken language (talking and understanding) and written language (reading and writing). Typically, reading and writing are more impaired than talking or understanding.

Aphasia may be mild or severe. The severity of communication difficulties depends on the amount and location of the damage to the brain.

For more information, please go to the American Speech and Hearing Association's Website.

COGNITIVE

Cognition refers to thinking skills. Cognitive difficulties are common in people who have had a concussion, brain injury, stroke on the right side of the brain as well as other neurological deficits. They vary in seriousness depending on the location and severity of the damage.

The following problems may occur and can be treated by our Speech-Language Pathologists.

• Poor attention to tasks
• Trouble concentrating when there are internal and external distractions (e.g., carrying on a conversation in a noisy restaurant, dividing attention among multiple tasks/demands)
• Slower processing of new information
• Memory difficulties
• Recent memory is affected in some people, making new learning difficult. For example, some people may have trouble learning the new things they are being taught, such as how to get in and out of their wheelchair safely
• Poor reasoning skills
• Poor problem-solving skills
• Poor executive functioning (e.g., goal setting, planning, initiating, time management, self-awareness, self-inhibiting, self-monitoring and evaluation, the flexibility of thinking)

SENSORY DYSFUNCTION

Our Occupational Therapists provide excellent occupational therapy services to individuals experiencing neurological conditions, including cerebral vascular accidents (stroke), brain injury including concussions, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and many other diagnoses. The therapy services provided are individualized to each patient’s needs and may include: self-care management training (training for self-bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting), strengthening, flexibility training, cognitive training and instrumental activities of daily living training (cooking, cleaning, finance management).

VISUAL DYSFUNCTION

Many people don’t realize there is more to vision than how clearly you see. In addition to acuities, the vision system includes gross ocular skills (how the eyes move and work together) and visual perceptual skills. These components of vision are often impacted by an acquired brain injury including concussion and other neurological deficits.

Symptoms can include, but are not limited to:

• Headaches
• Light Sensitivity
• Dizziness
• Seeing Double
• Blurred Vision
• Eye strain or aching eyes
• Difficulty reading (fatigue, poor comprehension, difficulty keeping place)
• Feeling overwhelmed visually or difficulty scanning
• Poor tolerance or attention for visual tasks

Similar to other systems in your body, the visual system can be trained and rehabilitated. Our Occupational Therapists have special training and over 10 years of experience in rehabilitation of visual skills and address visual skills as part of their Occupational Therapy program in collaboration with local optometrists who are knowledgeable in assessment of visual skills following neurological insults.

Print out our hand out on Rehabilitation of Visual Skills

For more information visit the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) website

MOVEMENT

Our Physical Therapist has specialized training and experience in assessing and treating individuals with neurological deficits to help improve or restore the mobility you need to move forward with your life. She will examine you and develop a plan of care using a variety of treatment techniques that help you move better, restore function, and prevent disability associated with a variety of conditions.

Vestibular

Physical Therapists treat individuals with various vestibular deficits including BPPV (Benign Proximal Positional Vertigo), Unilateral Vestibular Lesions, Bilateral Vestibular Lesions, and Central or Neurological Vertigo caused from concussions, strokes, MS, brain tumors or cysts, and deformities of the upper spine.
If you experience the following symptoms, you may be a candidate for vestibular rehabilitation:

• An overall feeling of imbalance
• Decreased vision during head movements or head movement sensitivity
• Visual motion sensitivity
• Disequilibrium in the dark
• Disequilibrium on uneven surfaces such as when walking on the grass or carpet
• An overall feeling of imbalance while walking
• Dizziness or vertigo when changing positions such as when turning over in bed or going from a lying down to a sitting position

For more information please visit the Vestibular Disorders Association website.