Aphasia in Children

Art by BP, 2015

Aphasia is a disorder of language, inability (or impaired ability) to use words (produce speech) to express ideas and to understand the speech of other people, resulting from damage to the parts of the brain that manage language. 

https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Language_disorders_Aphasia/

Aphasia may be caused by a stroke, brain tumor, brain infection, or dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. In some cases, aphasia is a symptom of epilepsy or other neurological disorder. According to the National Aphasia Association, about 25% to 40% of people who survive a stroke get aphasia. 

https://www.aphasia.org/stories/talking-kids-aphasia/

Some of the common varieties of aphasia are:

Global aphasia. This is the most severe form of aphasia, and is applied to patients who can produce few recognizable words and understand little or no spoken language.

• Broca's aphasia.
• Mixed non-fluent aphasia.
• Wernicke's aphasia.
• Anomic aphasia.
• Primary Progressive Aphasia.
  
  

Affected people often omit small words such as “is,” “and,” and “the.” For example, a person with Broca's aphasia may say, “Walk dog” meaning, “I will take the dog for a walk.” In contrast to Broca's aphasia, damage to the temporal lobe may result in a fluent aphasia that is called Wernicke's aphasia.

Receptive language disorders

Receptive language is a child's ability to understand and process spoken or written language. Children may experience some or all of the following problems:

• Following directions or completing instructions.
• Understanding long or complex sentences.
• Understanding the meaning and context of words and sentences.
• Recognizing the difference between sounds.
• They may appear to be not listening or ignoring you most of the time.
• They may not keep up with classmates, either with school work or socially.
• They may have behavioral problems or be acting up in class.
• They may be easily distracted or drift off when listening to speech or stories.
• They may appear to be forgetful. For example, they only complete part of an instruction or remember part of a shopping list.

Expressive language disorders

Expressive language is a child's ability to express themselves and get their meaning across through speaking or writing. Children may experience some or all of the following problems:

• Poor sentence or grammatical structure.
• Limited content in their speech.
• Confused meaning and grammar.
• They generally use short, simple sentences.
• Difficulty coming to the point.
• Problems starting or participating in conversations.
• Difficulty recalling or retelling information.
• Difficulty completing oral and written narratives and/or assignments.
• Have trouble finding the right words.

Family members and friends can use the following tips when communicating with a person with aphasia:

• Simplify your sentences and slow your pace.
• Keep conversations one-on-one initially.
• Allow the person time to talk.
• Don't finish sentences or correct errors.
• Reduce distracting noise in the environment.

https://youaremom.com/children/aphasia-in-children/

How Long Does it Take to Recover from Aphasia? If the symptoms of aphasia last longer than two or three months after a stroke, a complete recovery is unlikely. However, it is important to note that some people continue to improve over a period of years and even decades.