[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.

[Author]

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