7. Repetition Challenges – An Echoing Symptom of Expressive Aphasia
Repetition is a crucial aspect of communication. We often need to repeat words, phrases, or sentences during conversations.
For example, you might need to repeat a dinner order to a waiter to confirm it, or a phone number someone just told you. This seemingly simple act can become a daunting task for people with Expressive Aphasia due to a symptom known as repetition challenges.
In repetition challenges, individuals struggle to accurately repeat words or sentences. Even if they understand what they’ve been asked to repeat, they might find it challenging to recreate the sentence correctly.
They may miss out on words, add extra ones, or mix up the word order, despite their best efforts. This challenge applies to both short and long sentences but usually becomes more apparent as the sentence length or complexity increases.
These struggles with repetition can add another layer of complexity to their communication challenges. It could create confusion during conversations and make it harder to confirm information or instructions. This issue could impact various aspects of life, from personal interactions where a joke or story might lose its essence when repeated incorrectly, to more serious implications like misunderstanding medical instructions.
Despite these challenges, various coping strategies can help deal with repetition difficulties. For instance, in some situations, paraphrasing or explaining in their own words could be used instead of exact repetition.
Utilizing communication aids, like writing or drawing, can also provide alternative means of confirming information. As always, patience, understanding, and supportive communication partners play a crucial role in easing these challenges. (7)
