What Is Aphasia?

A brain injury, such as a stroke, can damage the left side of the brain.  This damage can cause aphasia.
People with aphasia are intelligent and know what they want to say.
If you have aphasia, it may be hard to:

• Talk
  
  
• Understand Speech
  
  

• Read
  
  

• Write
  
  

People with aphasia often have other communication problems, such as:

Dysarthria

• Weak speech muscles make speech sound slushy.

Apraxia of Speech (AOS)

• Problems making the movements of speech, such as:
  
  
  • Problems starting the movement.
  • Problems planning the movement.
  • Problems getting the movements in the right order.

Aphasia Definitions by the Experts

The National Aphasia Association States:

• Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence.
• Visit www.aphasia.org to find out more about the National Aphasia Association!

The Harvard Health Publication reads:

• Aphasia involves difficulty speaking or comprehending language; a common occurrence after a stroke affecting the left hemisphere of the brain, where language is processed.