June is National Aphasia Awareness Month…
June is National Aphasia Awareness Month and for those who may not know, aphasia is defined as a neurological disorder that impairs your ability to communicate. It can affect your speech, writing, and/or understanding of both spoken and written language. It is caused by brain damage, typically from a stroke or head injury. In June, we had the honor of celebrating our survivors at our monthly meeting, and enjoyed the Strongsville Clock Tower being lit up teal in honor of National Aphasia Awareness month. We host monthly meetings for young stroke survivors, and anyone can join, free of charge (reach out with more questions).
Did you know?
Over 2 million Americans currently live with aphasia.
Approximately 180,000 people acquire aphasia each year in the United States.
About 38% of individuals experience aphasia at the time of a stroke, and approximately 25% of stroke survivors continue to have aphasia three months post-stroke.
Aphasia is more common than Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, yet public awareness remains low.
When communicating with someone who has aphasia the most helpful approach is to support communication without assuming anything about their intelligence or awareness.
Here are five practical tips:
Speak clearly and use simple language
Use short, straightforward sentences.
Focus on one idea at a time.
Avoid unnecessary information or overly complex explanations.
Give them extra time to respond
Finding words can take longer.
Resist the urge to finish sentences for them unless they ask for help.
Pauses are often part of the communication process; be patient!
Use multiple ways to communicate
Supplement speech with gestures, facial expressions, writing, drawings, or pictures.
Pointing to objects or demonstrating actions can help convey meaning; match the speaker where they are!
Check understanding
Ask simple yes/no questions when appropriate.
Summarize key points and confirm that you both understand each other.
If there's confusion, try rephrasing rather than repeating the exact same words.
If writing skills are intact, consider writing down the main words as the speaker says them to help decipher the full meaning of the message.
Talk directly to the person and be respectful
Maintain normal eye contact and include them in conversations.
Assume competence unless you know otherwise—aphasia affects language, not necessarily intelligence.
Avoid speaking about them as if they are not present.
A useful mindset is: be patient, reduce language complexity, and use every available communication channel—not just speech. These strategies can make conversations less frustrating and more successful for both people. The more the person with aphasia is included and practices their communication skills, the more progress they will make!
As always — much love & respect to those of you living this communication challenge!
In the famous words of Christopher Robin… always remember:
You are braver than you believe,
Stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think!
Nikki & The Buckeye Speech Path team!
