Acquired Neurological Speech Language Disorders In Childhood

The long-held belief that acquired aphasia in children is primarily of the non-fluent type has been challenged in recent years. This book discusses language problems arising from cerebro-vascular accidents occurring in childhood, and from other

The stimulus for writing this book arose from the author's perception of a lack of available texts which adequately integrate the subjects of neuroanatomy and functional neurology with the practice of speech language pathology. This perception was gained from almost two decades of teaching in the areas of neuroanatomy and acquired neuro logical speech-language disorders to speech pathology students initially at the South Australian College of Advanced Education and, for the past five years, at the University of Queensland. Although a plethora of excellent texts devoted specifically to each of the subjects of neuroanatomy, neurology and aphasiology have been published, few have attemped to integrate these individual subject areas in such a way as to provide a more clear understanding of the neurological bases of clinically recognized forms of aphasia and motor speech disorders. In writing this text, I have attempted to provide a better balance between neuroanatomy-neurology and. speech-language pathology. Relevant areas of neuroanatomy and neurology are introduced and discussed in the context of specific speech and language disorders. In this way, I have aimed at providing a better link between the relevant neuroanatomical and neurological knowledge on the one hand, and specific neurologically based communication disorders on the other, in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the origins, course and prognosis of these disorders. Of course the writing of any book requires the support and encouragement of other people. This text was no exception.

It is vital to have knowledge of the neuroanatomical structures and functional neurological mechanisms, which are disrupted in neurogenic speech/language, disordered persons in order to understand the speech/language deficits themselves. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the neurological basis of both the clinically recognised forms of aphasia and the various motor speech disorders, in both children and adults. It also covers more recently recognised language disorders, such as Parkinsons and related diseases, right hemisphere damage, closed-head injury, dementia, etc. This is a perfect text for practitioners who need to understand the integration of neuroanatomy and functional neurology with the practice of speech-language pathology.

Brain-Based Communication Disorders introduces the reader to the major clinically recognized types of acquired speech/language, cognitive, and swallowing disorders encountered by clinicians working with child and adult neurological cases. The text provides contemporary and state-of-the-art content on these disorders in terms of their neuropathological bases, clinical symptomatology, and prognosis. Basic anatomy and physiology of human communication and swallowing is introduced, as well as the neural mechanisms controlling speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing functions. In addition to the traditional acquired speech/language disorders of the nervous system (aphasia; neuromotor speech disorders) content including communication impairments caused by traumatic brain injury, multisystem blast injuries, and degenerative disorders of the nervous system is also provided. The reader is also introduced to the principles that govern the assessment and treatment for both pediatric and adult populations.