[Nyiko Baloyi]

I want to find out if expressive aphasia can improve over time.

Topic

[Strokefocus Admin]

Nyiko, understood. I could not imagine the level of stress the family is
experiencing now. Tell us more about him before stroke.

[Nyiko Baloyi]

He use to play piano at church, was attending a after school program in a community centre and use to partake in spelling Bee competitions, and he was an A student doing grade 11.

[Carol Legg]

Dear Nyiko

I am a speech therapist in Cape Town and work with people with aphasia, both young and old, most days.
Your brother will continue to show improvement, especially now, but also from month to month and year to year. He will regain some speech, how much speech is the unknown but there is always improvement.
If there are any speech therapy services in the area where you stay, this will help.
Counting, singing, reading aloud will help too. Show him your mouth movements for words that he can copy. Have a notebook with lists of your names and places and needs for easy reference. Write things down for him (key words) so he can point to options.
Continue to include him in all conversations and social activities and advocate to others that aphasia is a difficulty speaking and not a difficulty thinking. The most important is that he continues to feel connected to others and still gets to laugh and have happy social times together that don’t need speech (like watching soccer).

I am most happy to answer any questions you have about aphasia.

[Nyiko Baloyi]

We are really worried about his schooling he is in grade 11 and never went to school since this happened. I’d there any hope that he will ever go back to school?

[Anne Tillinghast]

August is not very long ago! If possible, now is the time to work hard. Hopefully he has a speech therapist. Some survivors can sing, even if they cannot speak, so singing, or singing along to favorite recorded songs can be very helpful in helping the brain recover some speech. Remember that recovery continues to be possible in the following months and years.

[Nyiko Baloyi]

This is encouraging..

[Strokefocus Admin]

We have seen people getting much better over the time. Everyone is different but do not lose hope.

[Nyiko Baloyi]

Appreciated!!

[Phanuel Mabbola]

it can depending on the extent of the damage on the nerves, I saw two stroke survivors here in Zambia I have been attending to who had serious problems with speach but with time and some speach therapy they are improving. encourage choose the best diet which will help with the building of the nerves system, music also is good if they can be singing alongside as it plays.

[Nyiko Baloyi]

what kind of food assists with the building of the nerves?

[Nyiko Baloyi]

Thanks .

[Author]

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