Cognitive communication disorder

What is cognitive communication disorder?

Cognitive communication disorder (CCD) is a communication or social difficulty which results from damage to the brain. It occurs when there are changes in a person’s cognitive (or thinking) skills. CCD can occur alongside other difficulties that affect your understanding and use of language (aphasia) or the clarity of your speech (dysarthria).

Why does it happen?

CCD can happen when there is damage to the brain and changes to the cognitive skills used to communicate. It can be caused by stroke, head injury or progressive conditions like dementia.

Symptoms

If you have CCD, you might have difficulty with:

• thinking things through and organising your thoughts
• reasoning or solving problems
• understanding
• reading and writing
• responding quickly
• remembering conversations and experiences or where you are and what has happened
• concentrating
• finding words
• being socially appropriate.

The symptoms of CCD can be very subtle, and you may only feel their impact once you get back to your everyday life. If you notice any difficulties at any stage in your recovery, please seek further support from a speech and language therapist.

Will it improve?

This depends on where the brain is damaged and how much of the brain is damaged. Your speech and language therapist can explain more after assessing you.

Tips for you

• Try to find a quiet place to talk, away from distractions. Turn off the TV or radio. Draw the curtains round the hospital bed
• If you can, reduce noise and other distractions in your environment to help you concentrate
• Try to stay relaxed when chatting with people. Ensure you are well-rested and feel comfortable
• Give yourself plenty of time to focus and process information, don’t rush
  Try to focus on the topic in hand
• Break down what you want to say into small chunks and keep sentences simple

Tips for family, friends and carers

• Use clear, simple language and focus on one topic at a time
• If needed, repeat key information such as the date and what has
• happened regularly and provide reassurance
• Try writing down what you say in note form, or use simple pictures, to help the person with CCD keep track of conversations;
• Help to establish a consistent routine and talk about familiar topics
• Gently remind the person with CCD of the topic as needed and take breaks if the conversation is going round in circles
• A person with CCD may say things or behave in a way that you find challenging. Discuss this with the speech and language therapist for further information and support

How can Speech and Language Therapy help?

• Assess how you communicate and identify areas of strength and difficulty
• Provide therapy to improve your communication abilities
• Give useful advice on communicating with your family and the hospital staff and help you to adapt to your new situation
• Help you to take part in important conversations with family and the hospital team
• Help friends, family and the hospital team to communicate with you

Information and support

• Visit the Headway website or call their helpline on: 0808 800 2244
• Visit the Stroke Association website or call their helpline on 0303 3033 100
• Alzheimer’s Society website or call their helpline on 0845 300 0336 or the Leeds Office on 0113 231 1727