[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default”][vc_column_text]For parents, learning that your child has a condition or disease that impairs their ability to navigate life can be heartbreaking and worrisome. Will they be able to lead a “normal” life? Will they have friends along the way? What will school be like for them, and how will their condition affect academic performance, happiness, and the ability to be self-sufficient in the future? All of these questions, and more, can be difficult to answer.
For parents who have a child who has been diagnosed with dysphasia, understanding what dysphasia is and what dysphasia in children looks like is important. Consider the following, and know that home healthcare services may be available to help.
What Is Dysphasia?
Dysphasia is a language disorder that is characterized by a deficiency in the generation of speech. In some cases, speech comprehension may also be deficient. According to Healthline (2017), dysphasia is a result of damage to the areas of the brain that are responsible for thought and language processing, resulting in difficulty with verbal communication.
What Are the Effects of Dysphasia?
There are a number of common signs and side effects of dysphasia that parents may start to notice in their child. There are two common categories in which the symptoms of dysphasia fall (Universitas Financial, 2015):
- Receptive dysphasia
- Expressive language dysphasia.
Receptive dysphasia refers to an impairment of one’s ability to comprehend and find meaning in language. As such, side effects might include a limited understanding of language that is spoken, difficulty understanding abstract words, difficulting understanding questions, confusing like-words/difficulting telling words apart, trouble understanding sentences that are long and complex, and not being able to understand idioms or common sayings – i.e. interpreting “I’m running late” in a literal, not figurative, way.
Expressive language dysphasia symptoms, on the other hand, refer to a person having difficulting using language to express themselves. Symptoms might include jumbling words, difficulty finding the right words when talking, difficulty describing a concept or idea with words/verbally, the use of lots of pauses or filler words in speech, and putting words in the wrong order when talking.
How Does Dysphasia Affect Children?
For children, the above side effects may be present. For children, this can be very frustrating and confusing, and therefore the condition is often associated with difficult behavior. Tantrums that involve crying, yelling, hitting, kicking, or otherwise acting out may be common. Children may also develop low self-esteem or depression as a result of this condition.
Causes of Dysphasia in Children
Dysphasia can be caused by a number of different medical conditions, including stroke, which is one of the most common causes of dysphasia. Other causes include infections, acute injuries, brain lesions, brain tumors, seizures, migraines, and neurodegenerative diseases.
In children, dysphasia may be the result of a genetic problem or a problem that occurs during pregnancy, such as a brain lesion on the developing brain or a lack of oxygen during gestation.
Are There Any Treatments for Dysphasia?
Medications and therapy cannot be used to treat dysphasia. In some cases, the condition may improve with time and patience. In most cases, however, speech and language therapy will be necessary to help a child develop language skills. The earlier that treatment starts, the more effective results are likely to be. If you recognize any of the symptoms of dysphasia in your child, it is strongly recommended that you consult with a professional early. Children may be able to start speech and language therapy as early as age three.
Learn More About Home Healthcare Services
Living with dysphasia, whether as an adult or a child, can be very trying, both for the person who has the condition and for their family and loved ones. If your child has recently been diagnosed with dysphasia, you may have questions about what the outcome will be, what treatment options are available, and what resources are available to you. In addition to working with your doctor, considering the services of a support group or/and mental health professional, and exploring other resources, such as educational lectures and seminars about dysphasia, financial support services, and more, you should also explore what home healthcare options are available to you.
At United Energy Workers Healthcare, we offer free home healthcare services to those who are EEOICPA/RECA beneficiaries. To learn more, reach out to our team directly with any questions. We are here to provide you with the information that you need.
Sources
Healthline. (2017). What is dysphasia? Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/dysphasia
Universitas Financial. (2015). What is dysphasia? Retrieved from: https://www.universitas.ca/en/universitas-blog/my-child-has-dysphasia-what-does-that-mean/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]