PEORIA, Ill. – The diagnosis that caused actor Bruce Willis to retire from acting is one that can be especially serious, depending on what caused it.
Aphasia affects the ability to communicate, and in some cases, the ability to understand what others are communicating, according to Doctor Shitaldas Pamnani with OSF HealthCare.
“For example, some people with Broca’s aphasia can express few words and few sentences; but if it is a complicated sentence, they cannot express it,” said Pamnani. “On the other hand, there are some people who cannot speak anything. They feel fearful because the words are not coming out of their mouth.”
Aphasia can be caused by brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, brain disorders, infection, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
In the case of Willis, it might have been family members who were concerned enough and spotted some of the signs of aphasia.
“You will see a patient or a family member and you will realize that the speech pattern has changed. They are not making sense,” said Pamnani. “Usually we see it in elderly people. Family members are usually able to pick it up that there is something wrong with the speech of the person.”
Pamnani says the best form of therapy for aphasia is to see a speech-language pathologist. And he says one of the best ways a family can help their loved one is to find something you or your loved one enjoys, and incorporate that into the therapy.
Otherwise, Pamnani preaches patience and giving the loved one plenty of time.
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