Verbal Confusion & Stroke

A stroke is a brain attack that occurs when a blood vessel becomes blocked or bursts within the brain. When the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the brain is deprived of vital oxygen, resulting in death of brain cells. The loss of brain cells means various impairments of bodily functions, including speech.

Identification

• Speech impairment is an early warning sign of stroke. Slurred speech or verbal confusion are among the first noticeable symptoms of a stroke, according to MidMichigan Health, a nonprofit health system.

Features

• According to University of Chicago Medical Center, speech problems due to stroke may include difficulties with expressed (spoken) language and receptive (heard) language or both.

Function

• A stroke victim may slur words, have trouble remembering a word, experience difficulty following long or complicated conversation, put words in the wrong order, miss words entirely, speak in a fragmented way, switch sounds (say, "sparking pot," instead of "parking spot," for example) or use nonsense words, reports University of Chicago Medical Center.

Prognosis

• The damage to speech depends on the location and severity of the stroke. Sometimes verbal confusion is temporary and goes away completely without any treatment. Other times, patients require intensive speech therapy, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Treatment

• Treatment for speech problems from a stroke include speech therapy, computer programs and working with a speech-language pathologist to devise an individualized program for the patient, according to University of Chicago Medical Center.