Your brain is the nerve center of the body. You use it for every action you carry out each day. Speech often seems automatic but, in reality, your brain is making multiple decisions every millisecond to get sentences and comprehension right.
Unsurprisingly, then, a traumatic brain Injury (TBI), can have an impact on a person’s speech. This can happen in several ways, but outlined below are two of the more common conditions associated with TBIs that impact speech and comprehension.
Dysarthria
Various muscles and nerves are involved in the process of verbally communicating. Dysarthria is a condition that impacts these parts of the body, and it is often the result of a head injury. Sufferers are often still able to understand what others are saying to them, and they know what they want to say back, but there are physical difficulties in doing so. The mouth, lips and tongue areas typically lack strength, which makes it tricky to construct sentences. Airflow can also be obstructed, which makes it difficult to form sentences.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is a condition that generally arises when the frontal lobes of the brain are damaged, which can be the case during a head injury. The symptoms typically vary based on the severity of the injury, which also affects recovery. Often, individuals are able to think about what they intend to say but have trouble producing coherent sentences.
Difficulty with speech can make it hard for you to work, which means you cannot earn a regular income. If your injuries were suffered on the job, then you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. Seeking some legal guidance will give you a better idea of your options.
