What is the effect of aphasia on a person, and what important intervention can help this client eventually lead a normal life?

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder characterized by the person's inability to process linguistic information, and to communicate through speech and writing. This problem immediately arises due to a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Aphasia results in many adverse changes in the afflicted person's life, including the ability to interact with his or her environment.

When a person suffers a left-hemisphere stroke of the frontal lobe, he or she faces serious communication problems. When the lesion is in the posterior regions of the brain, speech will require less effort, but may be "empty" of content, In addition, clients may have problems with comprehension, because they fail to realize that their speech is not communicating what they mean.

When a person first develops aphasia, it is extremely important to involve the client's spouse or close friend early in the treatment program. This significant other can help provide a therapeutic environment that will hasten the return of comprehension and speech, and eventually allow the client who is speech-impaired to live a normal life.