Time is of the essence. You have one physical exam move to figure it out ...
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Have the patient write. The patient who can't express themselves via writing should get whizzed off to the scanner as a stroke of Broca's area causes problems with verbal and written communication whereas vagal nerve compression causes abnormal speech articulation but leaves written communication intact.
It is important to distinguish aphasia (defect of language processing caused by dysfunction of the dominant cerebral hemisphere) from other disorders such as dysarthria that affect language articulation but are not specific disorders of language processing itself.
P.S. If this hypothetical situation occurs on your next shift (or any time during your career for that matter), splash yourself w/ cold water and if not awakened from a dream, send me a box of chocolates (See's Candy's Dark California Brittle prefered). Thanks.
Source
Blumenfeld, Hal MD., Ph.D. Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases. 2002.
It is important to distinguish aphasia (defect of language processing caused by dysfunction of the dominant cerebral hemisphere) from other disorders such as dysarthria that affect language articulation but are not specific disorders of language processing itself.
P.S. If this hypothetical situation occurs on your next shift (or any time during your career for that matter), splash yourself w/ cold water and if not awakened from a dream, send me a box of chocolates (See's Candy's Dark California Brittle prefered). Thanks.
Source
Blumenfeld, Hal MD., Ph.D. Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases. 2002.
