Introdução da comunicação suplementar e alternativa na terapia com afásicos

It is known that the speech-language treatment of patients with severe aphasia is limited. Sometimes the absence of articulated speech is an obstacle to diagnose the aphasia. The patient with severe aphasia might not speak due to articulation inability, as it occurs in dysarthria and/or apraxia, and the absence of speech makes it difficult for speech-language pathologists to determine whether language is also impaired. The use of augmentative and alternative communication techniques has been an effective method for the rehabilitation of these patients. The aim of this study was to describe the use of the augmentative and alternative communication in therapy associated with other modalities of language (written language, gestures), based on the report of two cases of aphasia. Data analysis had two parts: introduction of augmentative and alternative communication in dialogue; and use of reading and writing associated with symbols. The augmentative and alternative communication supported oral language, reading and writing of the patients studied.