Communication Barriers: Complete Loss of Speech
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Communication Barriers: Complete Loss of Speech
Communication being a critical part of human life means that any barriers that can hinder the exchange of information make it difficult for people to share their thoughts, ideas, or other details with others whether in the workplace or learning institutions (Salamondra, 2021). The barrier chosen for this discussion is complete loss of speech or aphasia as it is scientifically known (Le & Lui, 2023). Complete loss of speech is a critical barrier that can prevent individuals from communicating with others, underscoring the need to overcome the problem.
Language and speech are essential for a human being, especially during their education and developmental stages (Beard, 2018). Therefore, if I happen to completely lose my speech, my life will significantly change, together with how I will approach it. I will no longer engage in normal interactions with my family members, teachers, and friends, implying that it will be challenging for me to explain my concerns, difficulties, emotions, or achievements. This means that my education will be impacted in such a way that I can no longer remain a typical student who takes part in sporting activities, or classroom work. As such, I will need to be either homeschooled or transferred to an institution where students experience similar communication barriers. Students who no longer have the ability to communicate with their speech need more time to articulate things, ask questions, and communicate their ideas. This also means that even though I can continue taking part in sporting activities, I will need constant communication assistance from the coaches and my parents.
The intervention for the complete loss of speech will rely on several factors, including the severity of the problem, its underlying cause, and the age of the person (Brady et al., 2016). One of the interventions that can work regardless of a person’s age is speech therapy exercises focusing on establishing familiarity with some sounds or words. This intervention helps to overcome the issue by managing the main causes of the loss of speech. To implement the intervention, the caregiver ensures they constantly communicate with the person. With time, the person will eventually overcome this barrier. Another intervention strategy is the use of assistive communication devices. For instance, the individual can use electronic devices and translate typed texts into verbal communication. This strategy can be implemented by setting the device to the language one wants to translate the message and then having someone direct them to ensure they pronounce the words correctly.
Once a person completely loses their speech, their level of independence reduces drastically, since they can no longer use their voices to air their views, express themselves and what they want, or verbally ask questions. The individual will now depend on other people to communicate on their behalf such that they can use other forms of communication and then inform those who understand it to express it on their behalf. Research shows that each person has an inner speech that they engage in before making verbal communication (Langland-Hassan et al., 2015). Therefore, independence is nearly absent once a person has completely lost their speech. However, there is no significant difference in the levels of independence between young persons and the elderly who experience complete loss of speech. The major difference is that, since teenagers and children are more active, the loss of speech can be less noticeable. Besides, younger people have a higher chance of overcoming and recovering from the problem.
Reflection
Completing this assignment has informed me more about complete loss of speech, its consequences, and how people can overcome the communication barrier. Further, I have understood that the problem impacts the elderly more than it does the younger people who have higher chances of healing. I have also gained insights into what communication barriers are and understood that they come in different forms. In general, answering the questions made me aware that losing one’s speech makes them dependent on others until they heal or for the rest of their lives if they do not. The assignment has altered my perception about people with complete loss of speech as I now understand that they can lead normal lives, unlike my previous assumptions. I believe that once a person loses their speech, their lives and impact on society are completely changed. However, I have understood that these people can manage their situation and remain normal persons if they accept their new reality and receive support from others. If I have clients with a complete loss of speech, I will try to understand their situations and support them. the information and data gathered while undertaking this assignment have informed me that understanding the cause of the problem is essential to identifying the appropriate intervention or treatment required.
References
Beard, A. (2018). Speech, language, and communication: a public health issue across the life course. Paediatrics and Child Health, 28(3), 126-131.
Brady, M. C., Kelly, H., Godwin, J., Enderby, P., & Campbell, P. (2016). Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6), 1-309.
Langland-Hassan, P., Faries, F. R., Richardson, M. J., & Dietz, A. (2015). Inner speech deficits in people with aphasia. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 528.
Le, H., & Lui, M. Y. (2023). Aphasia. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Salamondra, T. (2021). Effective Communication in Schools. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, 13(1), 22-26.