“Language is one of the defining features of humanity…when language breaks down…(this) can mean people are denied their human rights in the most fundamental of ways.”

- Deborah Hersh (2018) & Wickenden 2013

Brain injury due to trauma, tumor, or degenerative disease such as Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, Progressive Aphasia, Huntington’s disease, ALS or Multiple Sclerosis, may result in the following communication problems.

Cognitive Communication Disorders

Difficulty paying attention, remembering, problem-solving, planning, organizing, and social communication skills. Some social communication challenges may include excessive talking, misinterpreting body language, or misunderstanding humour.

Aphasia

Language impairment causing one or more of the following: difficulty talking, understanding, reading or writing.

Dysarthria

Motor speech disorder (disruption in brain to speech connection) causing one or more of the following characteristics:

• slurred speech,

• differences in volume, breathing, rhythm, pitch, nasality and rate of speech,

• inconsistent incorrect sounds (apraxia of speech).