Chief Complaint: Aphasia
| Pivotal Assessment | Finding |
|---|---|
History |
Prior strokes |
to confirm the condition, identify its type, and determine the underlying cause.
A doctor (often a neurologist) starts with:
Medical history – including prior strokes, head trauma, or neurological issues.
Symptom assessment – observing how the patient speaks, understands, reads, and writes.
Basic language screening – quick tests of naming objects, following commands, repeating words/phrases, etc.
To identify the location and extent of brain damage:
CT scan – quickly shows bleeding, stroke, or mass effect.
MRI scan – more detailed; identifies structural brain damage causing aphasia (e.g., due to stroke or tumor).
Done by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). This includes:
Speaking fluency – Are sentences complete? Is speech effortful?
Comprehension – Can the person follow verbal or written instructions?
Repetition – Can they repeat words or phrases accurately?
Naming – Can they name common objects or pictures?
Reading and writing – Are these skills intact or impaired?
To rule out or explore underlying causes:
EEG – if seizures are suspected.
Blood tests – to check for infections, inflammation, or metabolic issues.
Neuropsychological testing – to assess memory, attention, and problem-solving.
Diagnosis = Neurological exam + Imaging (CT/MRI) + Speech-language assessment
Would you like an example of how aphasia might present in a real-life case?