How does brain injury affect language?

• Injury to certain parts of the brain can cause aphasia, an acquired language disorder.

• Aphasia can affect all four modes of communication: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

  • Reading: You may have difficulty recognizing letters, blending their sounds to form words, or applying meaning to written words.

  • Writing: It can be challenging to convert the words in your head to written letters on the page, or write complete sentences that match your thoughts.

  • Understanding: You may experience deficits in following verbal instructions, answering questions, processing what is said in a conversation, or ensuring your messages were expressed effectively.

  • Speaking: It could be troublesome to find the words you want, use complete sentences, and you may substitute intended words with other words.