Normally, in this blog, I stick to topics that revolve around the challenges faced by people who have lost or are losing their ability to communicate through speech. As the creator of APP2Speak, a speech app, I usually prefer to “stay in my lane.” However, there are times when I have important information that I feel needs to be shared concerning situations caregivers might face that might not include speech challenges—or that might be present in addition to speech challenges. For example, you...

People may lose their ability to speak for many reasons—a stroke, a traumatic brain injury, a disease such as Parkinson’s or ALS, or age-related cognitive decline (among many others). But while all of these events are tragic, not all of them necessarily lead to the loss of one’s ability to communicate. Someone who has a stroke, for example, may lose their ability to speak or may not, depending on what part of the brain has been affected. There are also many reasons why a person may suffer from...

Dysarthria Definition Dysarthria is a condition that occurs when the muscles you use for speech are weak or you have difficulty controlling them. It often causes slurred or slow speech that can be difficult for others to understand. Other symptoms may include uneven speech volume, uneven speech rhythm, rapid speech that’s difficult to understand, or monotone speech. Causes of Dysarthria There are many possible causes of dysarthria. Common causes include conditions that cause facial paralysis...

In my work as a Speech Language Pathologist and in my role as the creator of the AAC app, APP2Speak, I encounter many tragic stories—people who have had strokes, brain injuries, or radical surgeries that have affected their lives in profound ways. One Tragedy that Leads to Another These stories are tragic enough in the short-term. But then, for many of these people, a second tragedy compounds the first—they lose most or all of their ability to speak and communicate with their loved ones,...

“Is it okay to feel like this?” “I've been doing this for a long time. I love them, but I just need a break.” “What's wrong with me? Am I a terrible person for feeling this way?” If you have a family member or a friend with a disability and they rely on you to help them make it through their daily activities, you may find yourself struggling with toxic inner talk such as this and feeling guilty about it. And if that’s the case, the first thing you need to realize is that you’re not alone. In...

With a growing aging population, there are many more people now living with challenging chronic conditions that may require the services offered in long-term residential care homes. Many of the patients in these facilities struggle with communication disorders (aphasia) due to a variety of causes (sensory loss, dementia, stroke, etc.). When this is the case, caregivers’ attempts to provide person-centered care can be challenging. Mobile communication devices such as smartphones and tablets and...

As a Speech Pathologist for more than 38 years, I've experienced the joy of my patients' successes. I've also experienced the frustration many patients feel when they don’t get the help they need in a timely manner. The following true story is an example of both of these situations. A patient needlessly suffered for a long time because neither he nor his loved ones and caregivers knew about today’s amazing communication tools for patients who cannot talk. But, in the end, his frustration...

Your friend or loved one has just suffered a stroke or brain injury. Somebody in a white coat has told you the person you care about now has aphasia. You gather from their explanation that your loved one will most likely have difficulty communicating, but you’re not exactly sure what that will mean.   But one thing is for sure—you know that their life, and possibly yours, is about to change forever. If you have a loved one or friend who has been suddenly diagnosed with aphasia, you may...

When your life's mission pays off, it's a feeling like no other. I had one of those "mission affirming moments” a few years ago. I met a wonderful family at an assistive technology conference and expo. The mother and father, who are both hearing-impaired, explained to me through their interpreter that they were looking for a simple speech assistance app to help their eight-year-old daughter, who is nonverbal, communicate more effectively at home. With the assistance of the interpreter, we were...

If you’re someone who uses an app for text-to-speech or photo-to-speech to communicate, such as APP2Speak, you’ve probably had many poor customer service experiences when dealing with businesses, either in person, on the phone, or online. Now, I understand that this is probably true for just about every customer on the planet, but I think it probably happens much more often to people who can’t speak. Of course, in the perfect world, it shouldn’t be that way, and thankfully, there are...