This treatment is carried out by a speech and language therapist (SLT). If you were admitted to hospital, there should be a speech and language therapy team there.
When you leave hospital, an SLT should be available through a community rehabilitation team or, after a stroke, an early supported discharge team.
If you weren't admitted to hospital or didn't see an SLT while you were there, you can ask your GP to refer you.
In some areas, you can contact your local speech and language therapy department directly.
Most people with aphasia need many hours of speech and language therapy to recover to their full potential.
How speech and language therapy can help
For people with aphasia, speech and language therapy aims to:- help restore as much of your speech and language as possible (reduce impairment)
- help you communicate to the best of your ability (increase activity and participation)
- find alternative ways of communicating (use compensatory strategies or aids)
- provide information to patients and their relatives about aphasia
An intensive course of speech and language therapy may be recommended for some people. This involves a number of sessions given in a shorter period of time.
But speech and language therapy can be exhausting, and an intensive course of treatment won't be suitable for everyone.
For some people, shorter and less intensive sessions may be recommended.
Therapy may be individual sessions, in groups, or using technology such as computer programmes or apps.
For many people with aphasia caused by stroke, the most rapid changes are early on in the weeks and months after their stroke.
But improvements can continue to be seen many years, and even decades, later.