Strokes are no more rare. Look around you and you will find someone or the other who knows someone who’s had a stroke sometime or the other. It is definitely a life-changing event, if you can call it that. Strokes have a catastrophic effect on the functioning of the human body. Because in more cases than not, it seriously affects the brain, strokes can lead to speech impairment. Speech becomes slurred as one part of the brain is affected and nerves are damaged.
Speech Plus, a concern of Bengal Speech, has worked with many stroke survivors to enable them to communicate freely and fluently. You have to take note here: even when the stroke victims are apparently speaking normally, they have difficulties in pronouncing words, expressing feelings or articulating speech. They may try to cover it up because they are too embarrassed to express their struggle. But they do have issues. The best way out is to get in a speech therapist who can identify the problem, if any, and help them get over it. More often than not, it is a psychological issue.
How A Speech Therapist Can Help?
Studies have shown that stroke victims are less able to handle stress. It is harmful for them to handle stress anyway. We are talking here about everyday normal functions like going out to the loo. As the person will physically struggle to go in, they feel an inordinate amount of strain on their nerves. The same happens when they want to speak in a particular way with a set of words and phrases. They may find that an uphill task because of their contorted speech pattern. As a result, they end up becoming frustrated and severely angry. That clams their speech up even further! Speech Therapist at Speech Plus works with such stroke survivors, calming them down by smoothing out the speech creases in their fabric.
It is true that in some cases, the speech impairment of the stroke survivor has nothing to do with language or linguistics. It may be an entirely medical condition. In such cases as well, the speech therapists have a job to do. They can align with the doctors in helping the process of recovery by complementing speech therapy with the medicines. In fact, if you know a stroke survivor who is struggling with speech issues, you have a role to play! Usually such patients are given a battery of vocal exercises to practice at home. You can encourage them to do them as prescribed by the therapist. Moreover, you can be a patient listener to such speakers and not cut them short by completing their words or sentences in your impatience. That is very disturbing for the patient.
Thanks to the speech therapists working at Speech Plus, many stroke survivors have regained their speaking powers to a large extent, if not fully in some cases. Our experienced team largely takes the credit for this achievement. If you know someone who needs help with their speech, get in touch with us now!