Do you know what Aphasia is?

Aphasia (uh-fay-zhuh) is an impairment of the ability to use or understand words, usually acquired as a result of a stroke or other brain injury. Many people with aphasia can also have difficulty with reading or writing. Aphasia is a loss of language, not intellect.

Aphasia affects more than 2 million Americans and is more common than Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. However, most people have never heard of aphasia.

No two cases of aphasia are alike. Some people may have trouble speaking while others may have trouble with understanding conversations.   Sometimes aphasia is very mild and you may not notice it right away. Other times, it can be very severe and may affect talking, understanding words, reading and writing. All people with aphasia have difficulty “finding” their words and have difficulty communicating.

June is National Aphasia Awareness Month and we are encouraging everyone to take part in the National Aphasia Association’s #AphasiaChallenge. Show your support for those suffering with this condition by remaining silent for ONE HOUR during the month of June.

Here are their guidelines

1. Do not use language for one hour. (Hand gestures, drawings, shaking or nodding your head are all OK, but no words written or spoken).

2. You choose the hour you want to spend without language. Challenge yourself to do it at a time when you would normally use language to communicate with others.

3. Share your experience with others and help spread the word about aphasia using the #AphasiaChallenge hashtag.

For more information about this Challenge, please visit Aphasia.org.