The diagnosis and therapy of aphasia in the acute phase
Journal Title: Acta Neuropsychologica - Year 2010, Vol 8, Issue 1
Abstract
Communication disorders, including aphasia. accompany central nervous system damage of various origin. Comprehensive rehabilitation – provided from the beginning of hospitalization, adjusted to the general state of health of patients and the actual functions disturbed, and carried out by a trained interdisciplinary team – significantly improves prognosis. Rehabilitation in the Neurosurgery Department of Military Hospital No 4 includes early assessment of language functions, as well as swallowing and speech disorder therapy. Many diagnostic methods and tests are used at this stage of aphasia, and serve as the basis for research, while also being standard procedures in clinical practice. The marked fluctuation of symptoms in this period makes it impossible to determine accurately the type and extent of aphasia or to differentiate between actual structural and functional sequelae resulting from the brain damage in the first weeks. This is due to the dynamic changes observed in this period. The role of early therapy has been emphasized in the literature. Gradual activation and stimulation of patients preceded by assessment of communicative abilities and combined with supporting the period of spontaneous remission are therefore essential at this stage. The program we present is used in everyday clinical practice, and includes an assessment of the verbal and non-verbal communicative abilities of patients following surgery due to central nervous system damage. Elements of the therapy are also presented.
Authors and Affiliations
Marzena Małgorzata Chantsoulis, Wiesława Troszczyńska-Nakonieczna, Anna Skrzek, Dagmara Chamela- Bilińska, Tomasz Sipko, Jarosław Sakowski
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP55337
- DOI -
- Views 115
- Downloads 0
Anosognosia, denial, and other disorders of phenomenological experience
Clinical neuropsychologists frequently evaluate patients who present with poor self-awareness of their neurological and/or neuropsychological status. Understanding the nature of various disturbances of phenomenological e...
Impact of older adults’ social status and their life satisfaction on health care resources
The article discusses the impact of the increasing numbers of the elderly on the social understanding of ageing (especially among physicians, therapists and caregivers). Statistics point to an urgent need to prepare the...
Assessing anosognosia: a critical review
Anosognosia is a multi-factorial syndrome whose clinical manifestations can vary considerably from patient to patient. Considering the complexity of this syndrome, its assessment represents a major challenge for the diag...
TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND PERSONALITY FEATURES IN BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
In attempting to explain borderline personality disorder (BPD) researchers have paid particular attention to biological factors, i.e. temperament, and to parental influence, especially involving early childhood trauma. T...
Where is the spirit of the “vegetable”? (Minimally? Conscious?? State!)
Is “loss of consciousness” an appropriate term for a medical diagnosis? Does this terminology serve for decision making about treatment (initiation or termination)? Does unconsciousness mean no awareness of anything bey...