Stroke

Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, resulting in brain damage.  A stroke can occur for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways.  Depending on the type of stroke, a person may experience difficulty with speech, word-finding, comprehension, cognition (e.g.: attention, memory, problem-solving, or organization), social skills, and/or swallowing.

Dysarthria is a common motor-speech disorder that results from stroke. A person with dysarthria may exhibit facial or tongue weakness that negatively affects pronunciation, making it difficult to speak or be understood. Dysarthria can sometimes interfere with chewing and swallowing, causing dysphagia (i.e. a swallowing disorder).

Aphasia is a common language disorder that results from a stroke. It can negatively affect the ability to express oneself or the ability to understand others. Symptoms include word-finding difficulty and/or comprehension deficits.

In some cases, a person who suffers a stroke may display Right Hemisphere Disorder (RHD) where social communication, narrative skills, and cognitive function are negatively affected. RHD may also result in decreased awareness into one’s deficits as well as changes to emotional responses or personality.