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Introduction This text is designed to act as a reference and source of basic information and material on communication disorders. It covers the most commonly occurring problems which are seen in both children and adults, and reflects current perspectives applicable to community-based care. Communication is the major way of achieving everyday exchanges of life. Through communication we make requests, share feelings, negotiate business, issue commands or instructions, teach, learn or convey messages from other people. Our most precious skill, which is often taken for granted, is our ability to communicate our wants and needs to others so they may come to know and understand us. When these abilities fail to develop, are limited or lost by injury, illness or disease, a person becomes powerless and the sense of self is threatened or compromised. It is important to understand these reactions and to deal with them, as well as the specific aspects of speech and language in rehabilitation. We have therefore stressed counselling and support as part of management. It can be useful for you and those you work with to reflect upon how you might face the prospect of a communication disorder (loss of hearing, language or speech difficulty after stroke). Commonly people describe themselves as afraid, frustrated, angry, depressed, anxious, useless. The problems also affect the whole family who will have to cope with the reactions of people around them and may have to accept new or changed roles and responsibilities themselves. These roles have social and practical components. Because communication is both complex and personal, it is not easy or even possible in many cases to give straightforward answers to problems. We have tried to provide information to help you to work out solutions which help your patients and their families progress and make adjustments to the handicap over time. In the first part of this book we cover broad principles which are applicable to disorders of communication generally. Spend time to familiarize yourselves with these principles. In the second part, we cover applications of these principles to specific disorders. Our aim is for you to use this as a basic reference for select patients and plan rehabilitation appropriately. 2 Communication Disorders We cannot cover every disorder or type of patient. If you see a child with cerebral palsy, for example, you might find relevant and useful ideas in the section on speech problems, or child language problems or the nonverbal patient. We encourage you to become broadly familiar with each section. ...

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