Speech and language therapy effective for post-stroke aphasia

SLT benefitted functional use of language, language comprehension (eg, listening or reading) and language production (speaking or writing), when compared with no access to therapy, but it was unclear how long these benefits might last. Functional communication was significantly better in people with aphasia who received therapy at a high intensity (hours per week), high dose (total hours) or over a long duration compared with those who received therapy at a lower intensity, lower dose or over a shorter period. There was insufficient evidence to establish the effectiveness of one SLT theoretical approach over another, with little indication of a difference between group SLT versus one-to-one SLT, and computer-mediated SLT versus therapist-delivered SLT. Similarly, there was little indication of a difference in the effectiveness of SLT facilitated by a trained volunteer versus SLT delivered by a therapist.