...In this paper, traumatic brain injuries, the effects on speech and language, and the speech-language pathologist’s role with patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury will be discussed. A traumatic brain injury is a very common cause of speech and language problems. It is an acquired cause, meaning it is not present at birth. It affects many areas of communication, including cognitive and memory skills, as well as speech and language. A speech-language pathologist plays an important role in these individuals’ lives. Speech-language pathologists are responsible for both the evaluation and the therapy for the patient. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY Introduction Numerous research studies have been conducted on the topic...
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...of the brain damage, someone suffering from aphasia may be able to speak and not write, or vice versa. Aphasia may also display a wide variety of other language deficiencies in language comprehension and production such as the ability to sing and not speak. Aphasia may also co-occur with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which is now a disorder in itself ((Risser, Anthony H.; Spreen, Otfried (2003). Assessment of aphasia. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press).). Both resulting from brain damage. Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from a neurological injury and characterized by poor articulation. Apraxia is a disorder caused by damage to specific areas of the cerebrum and is characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned purposeful movements, despite having the desire and ability to perform the movements (wikopedia). One can understand how both of these disorders correlate closely to the language disorder aphasia, rather taking an in depth look or just an overview. Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more language areas of the brain. Many times, the cause of brain injury is a stroke but other causes include severe blows to the head, brain tumors, brain infections, dementia, and other brain conditions. Aphasia may also develop after an individual sustains a brain injury from infections such as herpes encephalitis. As a result of the injuries, the pathways for language production and comprehension are...
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...Huntington’s disease is an inherited disease that causes a breakdown of certain neurons in the brain. Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which causes involuntary movements, emotional disturbance, and cognitive impairment. “Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by an autosomal dominant pathogenic mutation, resulting in an expanded stretch of 36 or more glutamine residues in the N terminus of the huntingtin (HTT) protein (1)” (Weiss et al., 2012, p.1 ). People who have Huntington’s disease are born with the faulty gene; however, symptoms typically don’t appear until the person reaches middle age. Although in most cases people with HD don’t start to experience symptoms until middle age, some people may start to experience them...
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...Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term that encompasses a group of non-progressive syndromes of posture and motor problems next to lesions in the brain from early development (Appleton & Gupta, 2001). This disorder is caused by disturbances to the fetal or infant central nervous system (Jones, Morgan, Shelton, & Thorogood, 2007). There are two types of cerebral palsy, spastic and non spastic (Jones, Morgan, Shelton, & Thorogood, 2007). CP has a variety of signs and symptoms that coincide with other neurodegenerative disorders. The clinical signs of cerebral palsy are the following: muscle tone abnormalities, impaired motor coordination and control, dysarthria, and fine motor dysfunction. In some cases these are associated with cognitive impairment (Jones,...
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...Dyslexia is a learning disability where one has difficulty reading | | Characteristics & Causes: There are several different types of dyslexia and they can be caused by a brain trauma, hormonal development, and has been linked to the chromosome gene number 6 (Medicine Net.com, 1996-2012). | | Teaching Strategies: The best strategy is the use of multi-sensory to help students learn how to use their other senses such as hearing and sight (auditory sensation) to aide in their comprehension. | Examples: trouble pronouncing or writing words backwards | | | | | Dyscalculia | Definition: Dyscalculia is a learning disability where one has difficulty with mathematics | | Characteristics & Causes: To date there has been no information on what really causes this disability but think it could be caused due to alcohol exposure or the Fragile X Syndrome. | | Teaching Strategies: Best strategy is to provide one on one support to aide the student in the least restricted learning environment to encourage the student development in math. | Examples: Difficulty with math facts, telling time, counting money, etc. | | Dysgraphia | Definition: Dysgraphia is a learning disability where one has difficulty in writing or the mental activity of comprehending and synthesizing information. | | Characteristics & Causes: The cause is said to be due to a...
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...Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating disease that is caused by the degeneration of motor neurons that affect voluntary movement. This will cause paralysis as the disease progresses and eventually will lead to death. ALS is difficult to diagnose since it resembles many other neurological disorders. It is not known what causes ALS and as of now there is no cure and very limited medications and treatments for those diagnosed with the disease. ALS is a disease that will ultimately make you a prisoner in your own body, mentally alert but unable to move. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The body uses motor neurons to send information to and receive information from the Central Nervous System. They travel from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles resulting in voluntary movement. ALS will cause these neurons to progressively degenerate. The neurons will no longer be able to send impulses to muscle fibers that normally cause muscles to function. Eventually the brain will lose its ability to communicate with the body and to control muscle movement. There are many types of nerves in the body. ALS only affects the nerves that are responsible for voluntary movements. These movements are mainly controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs. The heart and digestive system are also made of muscle but they under involuntary control. Everything that...
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...COMMUNICATION DISORDERS INTRODUCTION TO DISORDERS : What is a Psychological Disorder ? A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and/or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS : There are many different conditions that are recognized as psychological health disorders. The more common types include: Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety is a vague, uncomfortable feeling of fear, dread, or danger. Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that involve anxiety. Symptoms can vary in severity and length. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the five anxiety disorders are identified as: Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Phobias (including Social Phobia, also called Social Anxiety Disorder). Mood Disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. Psychotic Disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. What is the COGNITIVE DISORDER ? A person with a cognitive disorder does not process information correctly within the brain. This results in impaired awareness and judgment, difficulty reasoning and focusing...
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...variant (known as infantile Tay–Sachs disease), it causes a progressive deterioration of nerve cells and of mental and physical abilities that begins around six months of age and usually results in death by the age of four. The disease occurs when harmful quantities of cell membrane components known as gangliosides accumulate in the brain's nerve cells, eventually leading to the premature death of the cells. There is no known cure or treatment. Tay–Sachs disease is typically first noticed in infants around 6 months old displaying an abnormally strong response to sudden noises or other stimulus, known as the "startle response". There may also be listlessness or muscle stiffness (hypertonia). The disease is classified into several forms, which are differentiated based on the onset age of neurological symptoms.Infantile Tay–Sachs disease. Infants with Tay–Sachs disease appear to develop normally for the first six months after birth. Then, as neurons become distended with gangliosides, a relentless deterioration of mental and physical abilities begins. The child may become blind, deaf, unable to swallow, atrophied, and paralytic. Death usually occurs before the age of four.Juvenile Tay–Sachs disease. Juvenile Tay–Sachs disease is rarer than other forms of Tay–Sachs, and usually is initially seen in children between two and ten years old. People with Tay–Sachs disease develop cognitive and motor skill deterioration, dysarthria, dysphagia, ataxia, and spasticity.Death usually...
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...work environment that has a lot of background noise, poor lighting or unstable temperature. These barriers can affect how individuals try to send and receive messages. If there is a lot of background noise than the receiver may not hear what the sender is saying. If the temperature in a work environment is too hot or too cold the sender may not be as focused on the message that they are trying to send. If people in the work place are separated by others, communication is not as effective. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, proximity to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another. Communication can face barriers and it can be due to delay, distortion and dilution. When the information gets distorted due to the faulty system or jealousy or faulty listening or inadequate vocabulary or baldly chosen words, it looses its meaning. There are psychological barriers which are caused by prejudice, preconceived notion, distrust of the communicator, misinterpretation of his intention and the things like. Dilution is caused by a person who is posing as a yes man as to what he expects to hear rather than presenting the actual feedback of the matter concerned. The reasons that can cause interferences in communication are personal, physical and semantic (science of sound). These barriers need to be lowered to achieve effectiveness in communication. There have to be methods to overcome these barriers as they help in enhancing...
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...compensated cirrhosis, and fulminant hepatic failure (Ala, Walker, Ashkan, Dooley, & Schilsky, 2007). Neurological and neuropsychiatric signs are the predominant symptoms of Wilson’s Disease in 40-50% of patients with symptoms including tremor, choreiform movements, parkinsonism or akinetic rigid syndrome, gait disturbances, dysarthria, pseudobulbar palsy, rigid dystonia, seizures, migraine headaches, insomnia, depression, neuroses, personality changes, and psychosis (Ala, Walker, Ashkan, Dooley, & Schilsky, 2007). Lastly, Wilson’s Disease can present with ophthalmic changes, such as the appearance of Kayser-Fleischer (K-F) rings, which are caused by the deposition of excess copper on the inner surface of the cornea, and sunflower cataracts, which are multicolored clouding of the normally clear lens of the...
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... we all vary in language development, meaning facing language delay is to be expected in some toddlers. For toddlers raised in bilingual households, who is more likely to face language delay and who faces it to a greater extent – simultaneous bilinguals or sequential bilinguals? Before beginning to talk about the extent of language delay among simultaneous and sequential bilinguals, it is important to distinguish what type of language delay is being discussed in this particular context and why it is important to look out for language delay in any child. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “delay” as “a situation in which something happens later than it should.” So, if a child is facing a delay in language, he has not reached the expected milestone of his age group. These milestones are how speech therapists determine whether or not the delay in language is severe or mild, and what approach should be taken to correct it. A delay can occur depending on external and internal factors. Internal factors would be speech disorders, such as speech apraxia, dysarthria, and other...
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...Patients who are diagnosed with FTD may live a short or long life depending on the care that is being provided by his or her caregivers. Medications are available to assist with progression and help with the quality of life. FTD is accompanied by personality changes and most of the time it increases the level of anxiety of a patient. With them having the diseases needs more understanding and care from the caregivers and from the people around the patient. It is lifetime battle to make sure that the person will have comfortable life as long as he or she lives. The disease is hereditary, chances of transferring it to at least one member of the family is possible. Understanding the background of FTD can help and educate the audience on what is happening in the brain of the patient. Treatments are still not available expect for the management of mood and behavioral symptoms. Therefore, a better understanding of FTD will lead to further education on how can caregivers and members of the healthcare team provide a service and assistance for an FTD...
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...Running head: HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE Huntington’s Disease Bradley Amos St. Ambrose University March 21, 2011 Huntington’s Disease Huntington’s disease is a devastating and progressive neurological disorder that results primarily from degeneration of nerve cells deep in the center of the brain that waste away (PubMed Health, 2011). According to National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke (2010) more than 15,000 Americans suffer from this debilitating disease. Nearly all people who develop Huntington’s disease will die within 10 to 30 years from onset. This disease does not show bias to any sex, ethnicity or race. The pathophysiology of Huntington’s disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with high penetrance (Jarvis, 2008, p.360). The symptoms of Huntington’s disease are abnormal uncontrollable movements and personality changes (Jarvis, 2008, p.360). As the disease progresses so does the severity of the symptoms. It is a genetic disease that is passed on from generation to generation. A person can be genetically tested to determine if you have the gene for this disease. To date there is not a cure for this rare debilitating disease (Medline Plus, 2009). Definition of Disorder Huntington’s disease was named after an American doctor George Huntington in 1872. Before it was named by Doctor Huntington it was called “chorea” which means choreography in Greek. It was named so because people affected by this...
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...myelin and the cells that make the myelin. Myelin is the insulation that surrounds axons and speeds up nerve impulses. There are multiple symptoms that characterize MS. Double vision, fatigue, numbness and weakness are common traits. Pain in various extremities is common. The actual cause of MS is unknown. There is no cure. There are medications used to help treat the symptoms of MS, such as corticosteriods and interferons. It is diagnosed after an MRI of two different parts of the CNS show lesions that occurred at two separate times. The doctor must rule out any other possible explanation before diagnosing the patient. MS is very stressful for the patient and family. Planning ahead is the best option for families to help them cope with the disease. There are approximately one in seven-hundred and fifty people that have the diagnosis at any given time. MS is more common in temperate areas and unusual in tropical areas. It is extremely rare in Africans. MS is known as a disease of the white matter because the lesions generally appear in the white matter. The location of the lesions dictates the type of deficits that will occur. Scientists believe there are many causes that haven’t been discovered yet. One hypothesis is environmental factors or events such as a virus, bacteria, chemical or lack of sun exposure acts with the genetic predisposition...
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...individualized care as the standard of practice with older adults, considering the right care, at the right time, in the right place and by the right provider of care. * Define Baby Boomers (those born from 1946–1964) reach retirement age (as of 2011) A large group of people born between 1946 and 1964, in the time after the Second World War. * What are the five racial groups listed in your text? African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Asian, Hispanic, White * How would you perform discharge teaching to an Hispanic patient Teach the family as well because more than likely, pt is going home and family is his/her primary caregivers. * Apply effective and respectful communication strategies in the care of older adults and their families. * List some of the changes of aging that could affect therapeutic communication * TABLE 4-1 Normal and Pathological Changes and Their Impact on Communication pg80 * Note the ways to communicate or assist a patient with disabilities such as hearing deficits, vision impairments, or aphasia and dysarthria. Be familiar with the types of hearing devices. How should...
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