Attend Factsheet 1a:
What is Communication?
Communication is the sharing of thoughts or ideas. Communication can be verbal or non-verbal. There are many ways to share information, through speech, visuals, signals, behaviour, or writing. Verbal communication includes both written and spoken communication, where non-verbal involves behaviour or signals.
Communication post brain injury
Because of injuries after an accident it is possible that some brain injury survivors may have difficulty getting across what they would like to communicate, or understand what others are communicating to them. Injuries that can affect the person’s ability to communicate are: Physical injuries that weaken the speech muscles, Damage to areas of the brain that control speech and language, Damage to the frontal lobes of the brain that control behaviour and personality, and problems with concentration like memory or cognitive skills. A Speech and Language Therapist can help.
Difficulties in Speech
Dysarthria is a difficulty in speaking because of damage to the speech muscles, which makes it hard to pronounce words, because of slurring, hyper nasality, or altered voice. Dyspraxia is where someone with an acquired brain injury may have trouble with controlling movements, or the timing of them, which can affect speech. Communication aids such as computerised devices that allow them to speak or print out what they want to say, which can only be helpful if the person can find the words they want to use.
Receptive Dysphasia (Difficulties in Understanding)
Receptive Dysphasia is when a person who has acquired a brain injury does not understand what people are saying to them. They seem to have problems with following conversations and possibly with reading and writing.
Expressive Dysphasia (Difficulties in Expression)
Those who have experienced a brain injury may find they have trouble finding the right words or produce meaningful words, making it difficult for them to share what they need or want.
No effort
It may seem as if sometimes that a person who has acquired a brain injury is fully alert, but making little to no effort to communicate. It may come across as if they are unconcerned about communicating with others which often hurts close ones.
Intellectual skill Difficulties
It is common that someone who has acquired a brain injury have problems with conversations because when having a conversation one must be able to remember what the subject of the conversation is, concentrate on what is being said, and organise thoughts and responses. This makes it very difficult to communicate, and hold on to a conversation.
Non-verbal skill Difficulties
If the frontal lobes have been damaged, a person would find it difficult to use their non-verbal skills. Non-verbal is a more subtle type of communication, but it is still used all the time when emphasising what one is saying. A person with an acquired brain injury may not even notice the problem and may need it explained several times, especially if there is a memory issue.
Other Related Issues
Frustration is understandably an issue and feeling that comes up when you’re unable to say what you want. The best thing to do is be supportive by reminding them of the topic of conversation, and give them the chance to participate in the conversation by asking them if they have anything to add. Another issue that happens is overloading, when someone gets too much information at once. Overloading can lead to a person with an acquired brain injury to become overwhelmed leading to an angry outburst. Sometimes those who have acquired a brain injury may have inappropriate responses, they may laugh or cry at the wrong times or they could start cursing and have abusive behaviour, the best solution is to ignore it. Perseveration is another issue where a person with an acquired brain injury may take over a conversation and not wait for others to finish what they were saying. As a solution, it is a good idea to explain to the person that their constantly talking is tiring, keep calm, and find peace by going into another room if needed. Something to be wary about is that people with acquired brain injuries tend to take things literally. When someone tells them they’ll just be a minute they think they will really be just a minute. This can be very confusing and sometimes can lead to feelings of distress or anger. To solve this make sure you mean what you say, do not use sarcasm or abstract jokes, and when mentioning a specific time, actually stick to that time. The final issue is fantasy of ‘confabulation a person with a brain injury may say things that have no basis in reality, even if they appear believable. It is not lying that is deliberate, but it is a cause of memory problems. A person might make up things to make up for gaps in their memory. It is recommended to not go along with things that are made up, check the facts with someone who may know the answer if you’re not sure.
Contact
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