Speech therapy involves more than just improving how you talk . Our ability to communicate is one of the most basic human needs we have and can be compromised after a brain injury in many ways.
Frustration sets in when the person with aphasia or dysarthria can’t express to their family what they want to do for the evening. Injuries to the vocal cords may impact vocal loudness or swallowing abilities, making active participation in a social dinner out quite a challenge. A person with a frontal lobe injury may lack the ability to filter thoughts and actions, creating social isolation or difficulty interacting with co-workers. As a speech-language pathologist, I create with the client and their primary communication partners, strategies that improve the efficiency of understanding and being understood in their natural settings.