The Mystery of Aphasia in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sunday Science section

My article on the little known neurological disorder called aphasia is the centerpiece of today’s Inquirer Science section. My sincere thanks to the gentlemen who are struggling with this disorder for taking the time to tell their stories I can’t imagine what their lives are like without easy access to words.

From the article:

Most common after a stroke … aphasia can also be caused by a traumatic brain injury or brain tumor. It’s a disorder that is little-known, yet affects a large and growing population: the National Institutes of Health estimates that one million Americans have aphasia.

Darlene Williamson, president of the National Aphasia Association, suspects the actual figure could be twice as high because frustrated sufferers drop out of society and aren’t counted.

“It’s a communication disorder, so people who experience aphasia aren’t able to speak for themselves and get attention,” she said. “Speaking, listening, writing and reading are involved. . . . Just imagine if you woke up tomorrow and you couldn’t communicate.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *