The goal of aphasia treatment is to use various methods to improve the patient’s speech function and communication skills so that he or she can live as normally as possible.
I. Treatment measures for aphasia
1. Direct training in the symbolization and interpretation of language.
2. The facilitation of communication between language modalities for the purpose and communication media of information is compensated.
3.Measures that act indirectly on communication activities through cognitive theory.
II. Schuell’s stimulation therapy
Main principles.
Stimulation is defined as the application of the strongest possible, controlled auditory stimulation based on the damaged speech symbol system to maximize the promotion of language reconstruction and recovery in patients with aphasia. schuell’s stimulation method has many mechanisms and principles, but the important principles can be summarized in the following six, see Table 6
Encourage and affirm when the patient responds correctly to the stimulus (positive reinforcement). The reason for not getting the correct response is mostly improper stimulation or inadequate stimulation, and the stimulation should be corrected.
III. Prognosis of aphasia
The prognosis of aphasia is related to the following factors.
1. The earlier the start of training, the better.
2, the younger the age, the better.
3.The lighter the degree of severity the better.
4.The scope of primary disease brain injury is small, good for initial stroke, and better for traumatic brain injury than stroke.
5.Comorbidities without comorbidities are good.
6.Sharpshooter with left or double sharpshooter is better than right sharpshooter.
7.Aphasia type expression disorder is mainly better than those with comprehension disorder is mainly improved.
8.Intelligence level is better for those with high IQ than those with low IQ.
9.Self-correcting ability is better than those who have self-correcting ability and awareness.
10.The person with outgoing personality is better.
11, the family and the person with high desire for recovery is good.
Fourth, the considerations in the treatment
1, the importance of feedback.
The “feedback” referred to here refers to the training process, the patient’s conscious awareness of their own reactions (such as pointing out pictures or making sounds, etc.). There are two meanings, one is to have a conscious and objective grasp of their own activities, the other is to recognize whether the response is correct or not).
2. Comorbidity.
Attention, observation, depression, overstimulation caused by the primary illness, are often present, in which case attention is paid to the way of speaking with the patient and adjusting the environment.
3.Ensure the means of communication.
Language is the tool of communication, for patients with severe disease, the first thing to do is to try to establish basic communication using communication tools such as gestures, pen talk, and communication boards. Especially for aphasic patients have great significance.
4, to pay attention to the patient’s own training.
The training effect is in principle proportional to the time spent on training, therefore, the patient and his family should be fully motivated to cooperate with the training. The subject and content of the training can be the same, so that the patient can train himself, but change the form.
5. Pay attention to the abnormal reaction of the patient.
Before starting, get information about the patient’s primary illness and comorbidities as well as possible accidents. In addition, we should always pay attention to the patient’s physical condition, the amount of ward staff intervention, exercise therapy, occupational therapy training content, etc. Particular attention should be paid to the patient’s expression of fatigue. If you find that the training is different from the usual state, do not force the training.