Article

This study investigated how patients with severe aphasia communicated in
daily living, which verbal and non-verbal communication skills were spared and
which were impaired, and whether activity limitations in communication are
related to verbal impairments. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with severe aphasia
and 9 with moderate aphasia originating from a sample of 102 aphasic persons
followed up in a French regional survey were assessed with a communication test
and a communication activity limitation questionnaire 12-18 months after a first
stroke. RESULTS: Patients with severe aphasia suffered severe activity
limitations in communication, with performance 3-fold lower than that of patients
with moderate aphasia, and 4-fold lower than scores attained by normals. Both
aphasia severity and communication disability at follow-up were related to the
initial severity of aphasia. Using a phone, credit card and a chequebook, reading
and filling in administrative documents, and communication behaviours involved in
social life were the most severely impaired. Non-verbal communication performance
was not related to aphasia severity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there is a
great need for speech therapy research to develop new compensatory or alternative
strategies for patients with severe aphasia.

Langue : ANGLAIS