Aphasia and apraxia of speech are isolated neurogenic language and speech
disorders that often co-occur and overlap in practice. Aphasia is an acquired
neurological language disorder that occurs as a result of focal damage (most
commonly) to the dominant hemisphere of the brain. Problems manifest in both
expressive and receptive language skills. Apraxia of speech is a neurological speech
disorder that manifests as impaired ability to plan or program the sensorimotor
commands needed to perform speech movements. The most common cause of
aphasia and apraxia of speech is stroke. Disorders often occur also as a result of
other diseases or injuries to the brain, such as brain tumor removal. Experts
emphasize the specificity of aphasia that occurs after tumor removal, and point to the
importance of designing appropriate therapies to treat these patients. Nevertheless,
relatively little research focuses on the study of the speech and language after
surgical treatment of a brain tumor.
The purpose of the master's thesis was to investigate the field of speech, language
and communication in persons with aphasia and apraxia of speech after primary
brain tumor removal. In the introduction of the thesis, a brain tumor is defined and
described. In the continuation of the introduction, speech-language disorders that
occur as a result of the removal of a brain tumor are presented. Special attention is
given to the characteristics of aphasia and apraxia of speech, and speech-language
therapy of these disorders. In the empirical part, a singular case study of an adult
with aphasia and apraxia of speech after a primary brain tumor removal was
performed. The communication profile of the person before, during and after the
speech and language therapy is presented. The basis for the diagnostic assessment
was the Slovenian test protocol Review of speech and language skills (slo. Pregled
govorno-jezikovnih sposobnosti) with selected subtests. Based on the results of the
research, we find that after a six-month speech-language therapy progress was
made within all assessed areas of speech, language, and communication in the
person with aphasia and apraxia of speech. These areas were as follows: speech
motor skills and oral diadochokinesis, automatic speech, repetition, articulation,
naming, phonation, narrative and communication skills, and comprehension. The
progress we have observed is an important indicator that the person's condition has
changed and improved during the six-month speech therapy period. On the other
hand, we note that the scale of these changes and progress has been small. The
condition has not improved to the extent that the person's communication (especially
oral) could be considered fully functional in the home environment and outside it. In
order to increase the functionality of communication, part of the therapies in the last
month of the research was dedicated to attempts of introducing augmentative and
alternative communication using symbols and a communication book.
The results of the research cannot be generalized to all persons with aphasia and
apraxia of speech after brain tumor removal, however, the content of the master's
thesis provides a basis for further research and is, in our judgement, an important
contribution to the field of speech and language therapy of neurogenic speech,
language and communication disorders.
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