Aphasia (the loss of ability to understand or express speech) from a stroke results from brain damage in the language center and can often be a challenging condition to overcome. This can result in an increased risk of depression, frustration and behaviors as a result of being unable to communicate. If you or your loved one has experienced a change in their ability to process language, then here are some suggestions on speech exercises that you can use to help improve communication skills:
One of the best speech therapy exercises to improve aphasia centers around repetition. Performing repetitive tasks encourages the brain to recreate connections in surrounding areas of the brain and allows the undamaged areas to take over the function of those areas that have been affected. With repetitive practice, your brain can relearn speech and language that was lost. You must keep in mind that nothing good comes easy, so don’t give up! The more you practice, the better you will get.
Another approach to expressive aphasia rehabilitation is to use Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT). These treatments use musical intonation, continuous voicing, and rhythmic tapping to teach verbal expressions to clients with severe non-fluent aphasia with good auditory comprehension. This therapy was used to treat Arizona Senator Gabrielle Giffords after the horrific shooting which left her without speech. Melodic Intonation Therapy utilizes the right part of the brain centers (the non-damaged area) to sort of bring life back to the damaged part. Therapy centers around choosing common words, phrases and sentences to initiate speech, in conjunction with pictures or environmental cues for each utterance. Use of constant voicing with normal speech patterns and tapping of patient’s hand to cue for sound are some of the constructs of this approach. The use of song and music in therapy is one of the best approaches for language recovery, even for those who are completely speechless from severe brain damage.
If your loved one is struggling with the coordination of the actual muscles that produce the speech and their words seems to be stunted or blocked, then it is best to begin oral motor exercises that will improve one’s ability to control the way the lips and tongue move. These exercises should be repeated at least 20 times/day every day and while using a mirror for visual feedback in order to see optimal results. The following 6 exercises should help to improve muscle coordination for producing speech:
1. Tongue In and Out – Stick your tongue out and hold it for 2 seconds, then pull it back in. Hold for 2 seconds, and repeat.
2. Tongue Side to Side – Open your mouth and move your tongue to touch the right corner of your mouth. Hold for 2 seconds, then touch the left corner of your mouth. Hold for 2 seconds, and repeat.
3. Tongue Up and Down – Open your mouth and stick your tongue out. Then, reach your tongue up toward your nose. Hold for 2 seconds, then reach your tongue down toward your chin. Hold for 2 seconds, and repeat.
4. Smile and Say Cheese – Practice smiling in front of a mirror pulling the corners of your mouth back as far as possible. Smile, then relax. Make sure you are using the mirror to help train your brain what it feels like when you are doing the exercise correctly.
5. Pucker Up – Make kissy faces in the mirror by puckering your lips. Pucker your lips together, then relax. You can even practice making the kissing sound with your mouth to help create a tighter lip seal.
6. Make baby sounds – Take a consonant that you have trouble saying, and then pair it with each of the 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u). For example, if you have trouble with the “r” sound, then practice saying “ra, re, ri, ro, ru” over and over. If you really struggle with each sound, then you can try saying each one individually over and over. For example, start by saying “ra” 20 times. Then move onto “re” 20 times; etc. Repeat this for all sounds that you have difficulty with.
It may also be helpful to download speech therapy apps that address the problem areas of the speech and language impairment. There are aphasia applications from Tactus Therapy and Constant Therapy that can guide you through the different language areas and provide games and exercises that target both speech and language areas. These apps will assess your current ability levels and assign exercises that target your problem areas. The interaction with the app makes it more engaging, too, so that you are motivated to keep practicing to improve your skills!
Those who suffer from aphasia will have an uphill journey to recovery, but with some time and effort and relentless practice, they can regain their speech and language skills. Seeking the help of a speech-language pathologist is highly recommended as early as possible to ensure maximum recovery, but using these exercises will certainly start you off on the right foot!
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