Beyond Words: How Speech Therapy Supports Brain Injury Recovery
“Speech therapy? But I talk just fine!”
We hear this statement a lot! Many people associate speech therapy with helping children learn to speak, read, and write. It’s understandable that many people are unaware that speech therapy is not only an option, but can be a critical component of recovery from a traumatic brain injury.
Speech therapy can work with people across the lifespan; from babies to seniors, and everyone in between. Therapy can treat a multitude of conditions and diagnoses, such as developmental disabilities, neurological conditions, and many others.
So what is speech therapy, and how can it help somebody after a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
Who provides speech therapy?
Services are provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), sometimes also called a speech therapist. These professionals hold a master’s degree and Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology. They assess and treat conditions affecting communication, cognition, swallowing, and more, often with additional certifications in specific areas.
What does speech therapy target?
Speech therapy helps individuals regain independence and confidence in daily tasks. Key focus areas include:
Cognition– This is one of the most frequent domains addressed in speech therapy following TBI. It is common for people to have difficulty with memory, concentrating, solving problems, managing new or stressful situations, making plans, staying organized, or being able to follow through with tasks. Speech therapy can work to improve memory, attention, and executive functioning skills to help people be more efficient, accurate, and reduce frustration within daily tasks.
Language- TBI can affect both the ability to understand information and express oneself, impacting tasks such as keeping up with conversations, making phone calls, following a new recipe, or emailing a colleague. Language skills include finding the right words, organizing your thoughts for speaking and writing, reading comprehension, and understanding spoken information. Speech therapy can work to improve these expressive and receptive language skills.
Other areas that may be addressed include:
Swallowing– TBI may cause difficulty swallowing (known as dysphagia), which can make eating and drinking a challenge. The SLP can determine a treatment plan, such as exercises that can strengthen swallow function to make mealtime safer and more enjoyable.
Speech production– After a TBI, a person might struggle with speaking clearly and fluently, or experience changes with their voice. Therapy can work on these skills, making it easier to communicate clearly.
Social skills: Sometimes after TBI, navigating social interactions can be confusing. Speech therapy helps people relearn the nuances of conversations, like interpreting verbal and non-verbal responses, staying on topic, and using appropriate tone for the situation. These social skills are crucial for building and maintaining relationships, interacting within the workplace, and feeling more at ease in different settings.
What does therapy look like?
Since no two injuries are the same, the speech therapy process is highly personalized. Here’s what you can expect:
Initial Evaluation: First, the speech therapist assesses your unique needs, looking at how you communicate, understand language, and various cognitive areas. Based on this information and input from you, goal areas are identified.
Treatment: Since Innovative is a home and community based program, we are able to work on what is most important to an individual and in one’s own environment, whether that is at home, work, or anywhere else.
Cognitive retaining: The therapist will give you exercises and tasks to practice skills, support neuroplasticity, and increase your ability to complete specific tasks.
Compensatory strategies: The SLP will work with you to identify specific strategies to overcome challenges – adding skills to your “toolbox” so you can be successful with what you need to do.
Family Support: Sometimes, family members need a little guidance too! Speech therapists often work with loved ones to teach them how to support the recovery process at home.
Real-Life examples
So what do therapy sessions actually look like? Therapy looks different for everyone because everyone has different priorities and goals.
– A client is returning to work and is worried about being able to keep up with tasks. The SLP can help create strategies to manage the workload, such as checklists for work responsibilities, a reminder system for deadlines, track completed tasks and those requiring follow-up, etc. The SLP and client may work together to identify workplace accommodations that would support a successful transition.
-A client is having difficulty juggling household responsibilities, managing the kids’ sports schedules and homework. Therapy can work on developing an organization system to track daily schedules, help everyone be where they need to be, and work to improve functional memory.
– An avid reader is now struggling to remember plot points and understand information. Therapy can target comprehension, retention, and inferencing skills through practice and strategies.
– A student returning to school may need to work on study skills, following lectures, writing papers, keeping up with due dates, and remembering new information. Therapy can help an individual with these academic skills and support success in the classroom.
Would speech therapy help me?
To sum it up, if it related to how we think, communicate, or interact, speech therapy can help you get back on track.
Adjusting to life after a TBI can be overwhelming. Cognitive and communication difficulties can affect confidence and independence. Speech therapy can work towards restoring both, helping individuals regain skills needed for their personal, social, and professional lives. At Innovative Rehab, we are dedicated to helping clients navigate their recovery journey.
All the therapists at Innovative Rehab specialize in TBI rehabilitation, tailoring their approach to meet the unique needs of each person. Our team of skilled professionals works closely with individuals, offering comprehensive care that addresses cognitive and communication challenges associated with TBI, all while in a functional setting. Our SLPs use the latest research to provide effective, evidenced-based practice to help individuals reach their goals.
Not sure if speech therapy is right for you or a loved one? Talking to a doctor or reaching out to our Innovative team is a great first step in exploring your options.