06/04/2025
You may have heard the words “aphasia” and “dysphagia” when supporting a loved one’s health journey and wondered what they mean and how they differ.
June is National Aphasia Awareness Month—a fitting time to highlight this communication disorder and contrast it with dysphagia, another disorder patients may face after injury or illness.
Aphasia affects a person’s ability to speak, read or write—although not necessarily their thinking. After a stroke or brain injury that damages the language centers in the brain, a patient may have trouble finding the right words, understanding what others say or comprehending text.
Dysphagia is the difficulty in swallowing, and can occur as a symptom of many different conditions, including brain and muscle disorders.
