Acquired Reading Impairment in Aphasia: Alexia Assessment
and Treatment (Recorded Webinar)
Presented by Brett McCardel
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This course is a recording of a previously hosted live webinar event. Polling and question submission features are not available for this recording. Format and structure may differ from those of standard Medbridge courses.
Alexia is an acquired reading impairment that is common in people with aphasia and can contribute to reduced quality of life, difficulty performing vocational tasks, and decreased participation in social activities. Though many people with aphasia experience challenges with reading, clinicians often report feeling uncomfortable adequately assessing and treating alexia. This webinar is designed to serve as an overview of alexia for speech-language pathologists who work with aphasia in the acute, outpatient, and long-term care settings. By attending this webinar, clinicians will learn about a variety of assessment and treatment approaches for alexia at the single-word level, sentence level, and paragraph/discourse level. Case study examples will also be provided that demonstrate using a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) in alexia management.
Learning Objectives
- Examine what alexia is and how acquired reading impairments can impact quality of life for people with aphasia
- Analyze how impairments to specific components of the Dual Route Cascaded (DRC) Model of reading may impact reading abilities
- Plan for an alexia assessment that examines reading abilities at the single-word level, sentence level, and paragraph/discourse level
- Implement a variety of alexia treatment approaches at the single-word level, sentence level, and paragraph/discourse level
- Integrate alexia assessment and treatment approaches utilizing a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) framework
Meet your instructor
Brett McCardel
Brett McCardel is the owner and founder of Archways—Aphasia Rehabilitation Services, a private practice that specializes in providing speech and language services to people with aphasia. He has worked with people with aphasia across the continuum of care and across a variety of service-delivery models (including telehealth…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Introduction to Alexia
This chapter will introduce what alexia is and common reading impairments observed in people with aphasia. Information will be provided on the impact that alexia can have on quality of life for people with aphasia. There will also be a brief introduction to the neurobiology of reading and the brain regions/lesions involved in reading and reading impairment.
2. Dual-Route Cascaded Model of Reading
This chapter will introduce a cognitive neuropsychological model of reading called the Dual Route Cascaded (DRC) Model of reading. Viewers will be guided through each component of the model and the contribution of each component to successful reading.
3. Alexia Subtypes
This chapter will introduce different alexia subtypes reported in the research literature. For each subtype, distinguishing characteristics will be highlighted and locus of breakdown in the DRC Model will be highlighted.
4. Assessment and Treatment at the Single-Word Level
This chapter will introduce a variety of assessment tools that clinicians may consider when assessing reading abilities at the single word level. Viewers will also be provided step-by-step protocols for treatment approaches at the single-word level.
5. Assessment and Treatment at the Sentence Level
This chapter will introduce a variety of assessment tools that clinicians may consider when assessing reading abilities at the sentence level. Viewers will also be provided step-by-step protocols for treatment approaches at the sentence level.
6. Assessment and Treatment at the Paragraph/Text Level
This chapter will introduce a variety of assessment tools that clinicians may consider when assessing reading abilities at the paragraph/discourse level. Viewers will also be provided step-by-step protocols for treatment approaches at the paragraph/discourse level.
7. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Assistive Technology
This chapter will introduce a variety of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) that clinicians may consider using as part of an alexia assessment. Viewers will also be introduced to a variety of assistive technology options for alexia management.
8. Case Study: Utilizing a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia
This chapter will introduce clinicians to the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) and how alexia treatment can be utilized with this model in mind. Viewers will be provided case studies in which assessment and treatment incorporated LPAA.
9. Question and Answer Session
This chapter is a viewer-submitted question and answer session, facilitated by Brett McCardel.