Hit Your Head? How Speech Therapy Can Help After a TBI

I hit my head, what now?

In our society, we have so many euphemisms for hitting your head; getting your bell rung, a ding, or rattling the cage. To a speech-language pathologist (SLP), all of these are code for a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

A TBI, is an acquired brain injury that results from an external trauma to the head or from an event that shakes and displaces the brain inside the skull. For example, a fall or something hitting your head would be the first kind of injury, while the second would result from a blast injury or whiplash. It's important to note that there are different severities of TBIs, some have a smaller more focused impact, and others can be lethal. Both qualify for services with an SLP.

You may be asking yourself, why you would see a speech-language pathologist for your brain injury. Afterall, your speech is great! According to ASHA, the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, SLPs assess, diagnose, and treat "speech, language, cognitive-communication (e.g., memory, executive functioning, attention, information processing), and swallowing disorders associated with TBI." 

This means that we can help you if you have difficulty with remembering what you need to bring to work on Monday or building systems to remind you where you put your keys. We of course also help if suddenly your words aren't coming out the way you had planned or staying tuned in during a conversation is harder, but that's not all people can struggle with after a TBI. Whether your injury was years ago or last week, if you struggle with any of the above areas, let's set up an evaluation and see what to work on first!

References:

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Traumatic brain injury in adults. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/traumatic-brain-injury-in-adults/?srsltid=AU7gw4V1jUJTUIl-Tg6t5JDJnxBBpjurwV_8Wae5ZX3WTJV-IqFrWNIa#collapse_4 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Facts about TBI. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/traumatic-brain-injury/data-research/facts-stats/index.html