How is the therapy going?
Speech recovery therapy takes place intensively in the first six months after the stroke. One-hour sessions are usually practiced five times a week. The therapy itself begins with a diagnosis of the problem and a clear distinction between physiological and cognitive deficits. This is actually very difficult because stroke survivors cannot communicate normally and as a result it is necessary for the specialist to slowly and methodically explore and identify any difficulty. Therapy then generally involves progressive loading until a result is achieved.
What results can we expect?
Today, there is a wide variety of modern tools and techniques to assist aphasiologists. However, we must be very patient. It is good to understand the essence of the process, namely that aphasia therapy relearns the brain the skills that were irretrievably lost during the stroke. This is a complex and difficult process, which does not have a specific deadline for implementation, and the methodology must be developed individually for each individual case. Anyway. Specialist aphasiologists report more and more progress in the recovery process. Nowadays, it is taken for granted that the possibility of daily communication is restored. Cases of complete recovery are also becoming more frequent.
What is the role of relatives in the therapeutic process and after it?
During therapy, very often aphasiologists train relatives to help, as assistants in the overall process. Although the therapy is intensive in nature, it is rarely effective if it lasts more than an astronomical hour on average per day. During the remaining hours, assistants can use learned approaches to reinforce the achievements of therapy, while using this to communicate with loved ones. Whether this approach will be preferred in your case depends on the assessment of the aphasiologist, but in all cases the role of relatives is emphasized throughout the process. Their provision of a calm home atmosphere and a spirit of understanding, combined with an effort to learn a new way of communicating with loved ones, is an important support of the overall recovery process.
When should we start therapy?
Until recently, it was widely believed that speech difficulties that were not overcome by the sixth month after stroke remained permanent and were considered irreversible. Today, experts recommend starting therapy as early as possible after receiving a stroke, defining the period up to the sixth month after the stroke as the most favorable for rapid recovery. After this intense period, an indefinite period of slow recovery begins. In this period, it is necessary to carry out less intensive therapy, but with a constant, building character.