Communication Difficulties

Adults can experience communication difficulties for a whole range of different reasons. This can be short or longer term and can be caused by a head or brain injury or illness such as a stroke or dementia.

There are lots of ways that someone might experience difficulties communicating, for example they could have difficulties in understanding spoken or written language, difficulty speaking and getting words out, slurred or unclear speech or problems with their voice.

• Aphasia affects a person's ability to speak and understand what others say.  
• Dysarthria affects a person's ability to control the muscles in their face, mouth and throat making it difficult to speak clearly.  This can lead to speech becoming slurred or slow.
• Apraxia of speech prevents people from being able to move the muscles in their face, mouth or throat in the order they need to making them difficult to understand.

Adult Speech and Language Therapy is a service provided by Salford Royal Hospital that can provide support to adults experiencing difficulties communicating or swallowing.

If the adult is already in hospital, someone from the medical team can refer the adult into the service.  If the adult is in the community and needs to see a Speech and Language Therapist, a referral can be made by a GP, Nursing Home or other health professional.  

The Stroke Association website has lots of information about Aphasia and Communication problems.  They have also produced a free Communication Support Pack and Communication Support tools.