Article

Communication is essential for successful rehabilitation, yet few
aphasia treatments have been investigated during the acute stroke phase.
Alternative modality use including gesturing, writing, or drawing has been shown
to increase communicative effectiveness in people with chronic aphasia.
Instruction in alternative modality use during acute stroke may increase patient
communication and participation, therefore resulting in fewer adverse situations
and improved rehabilitation outcomes. The study purpose was to explore
a multimodal communication program for aphasia (MCPA) implemented during acute
stroke rehabilitation. MCPA aims to improve communication modality production,
and to facilitate switching among modalities to resolve communication breakdowns.
METHODS: Two adults with severe aphasia completed MCPA beginning at 2 and 3 weeks
post onset a single left-hemisphere stroke. Probes completed during each session
allowed for evaluation of modality production and modality switching accuracy.
RESULTS: Participants completed MCPA (10 and 14 treatment sessions respectively)
and their performance on probes suggested increased accuracy in the production of
various alternate communication modalities. However, increased switching to an
alternate modality was noted for only one participant. CONCLUSIONS: Further
investigation of multimodal treatment during inpatient rehabilitation is
warranted. In particular, comparisons between multimodal and standard treatments
would help determine appropriate interventions for this setting.

Langue : ANGLAIS