For the client/family:
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/TBI/
- This webpage is a great resource for a client or family member who has recently suffered from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It provides general information in easy-to-understand language about what a TBI is and what symptoms and deficits it might cause. It also helps clients and family members prepare for what assessment and treatment may look like depending on their particular set of strengths and weaknesses.
http://www.biausa.org/living-with-brain-injury.htm
- This website has a lot of information for the client or caregiver who wants to learn more about the brain and what happens when different parts of the brain are damaged due to a stroke, TBI or other neurodegenerative diseases. It gives a brief education about the lobes of the brain and what they are responsible for as well as what kinds of symptoms and deficits are associated with damage in each of these areas. There is even a helpful and informative video at the bottom of the page, which explains the brain anatomy and functioning. All of this would help a client and their family understand what it is like to suffer from a brain injury.
Papa, J. (2013). Patient & family education flash book: Communication after stroke or TBI. Youngsville, NC: Lash & Associates Publishing/Training Inc.
- This book is a wonderful resource for patients and family members who want to improve their communication skills post-TBI or stroke. It has worksheets and information about brain anatomy, the different types of attention and memory, how executive functioning works and tips for better communication, all written in terms that are easy to follow and understand. This book comes on a flashdrive so that materials are easily accessible for clients and family members.
For the SLP:
Kimbarow, M.L. (2011). Cognitive communication disorders. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing Inc.
- This textbook is a great resource for an SLP who wants to learn more about cognitive communication impairments, assessment of these types of disorders and potential treatments for these types of communication problems. It focuses on education about right hemisphere damage, dementia, traumatic brain injury and the communication difficulties that can accompany these types of conditions. It also provides information about associated attention, executive functioning and planning deficits associated with each of the previously mentioned diagnoses.
- This article from the Leader magazine provides a number of links to helpful resources for the SLP working with a cognitive communication client. It has links to different research articles related to the main etiologies responsible for cognitive communication deficits, and it provides links to other websites who focus on research and remediation of these kinds of communication impairments.
Click to access TESCognitiveCommunicationDisordersFromTBI.pdf
&
Click to access TESCognitiveCommunicationDisordersfromRightHemisphereBrainDamage.pdf
- These two articles have treatment efficacy summaries for remediation of cognitive communication deficits resulting from right hemisphere damage or TBI. Both articles suggest that remediation of problem solving, pragmatics, attention and memory problems can be remediated in 73% and 83% of patients. This gives hope and encouragement to patients and SLPs alike, knowing that the services given and received can effect change in the functioning of the client’s cognitive communication skills.
SLP Diagnostics 