Apraxia is a nervous breakdown that attacks the motor system. This condition causes the muscles to not be able to take brain commands properly, so the sufferer is unable to do certain movements even if he wants to.
Apraxia can occur in various parts of the body, although it generally attacks the muscles of the mouth area. In this case, the patient will find it difficult to make movements, such as whistling, licking his lips, sticking out his tongue, or even talking.
Various Causes of Apraxia
Apraxia can occur due to interference with the cerebrum, especially the part that functions to control and remember movement. The disorder can be triggered by many things, such as:
- Neurodegenerative diseases that cause decreased nerve function, such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and Parkinson's disease.
- Brain tumor.
- Stroke.
- Brain injury.
In addition to the various conditions above, birth defects and genetic disorders are also related to apraxia. That is why apraxia can occur at a very young age, namely in childhood.
Symptoms of Apraxia
Symptoms of apraxia can vary and are not necessarily the same in every sufferer. But in general, sufferers complain about the inability to carry out activities and movements that they were previously used to do. Example:
- The inability to paint and draw, even though he used to be an expert and even a painter.
- Inability to cough, chew, swallow, chuckle, whistle, and squint.
- Difficulty in saying and sorting words for short or long sentences even though they are ordered and given directions.
If apraxia occurs in children, some of the symptoms that can appear are:
- Talking too late.
- Trouble stringing words.
- Difficulty in saying long sentences.
- Difficulty to imitate what others have said.
- Move your lips, jaw, or tongue several times before speaking.
How to Treat Apraxia
Symptoms that lead to apraxia should be checked by a neurologist. To diagnose this disease, the doctor will conduct a number of tests, ranging from MRI to examination of brain fluid, to find out the cause.
Once the cause of apraxia is known, treatment will be adjusted. For example, if apraxia is a symptom of a disease, then the disease will be treated first. Apraxia can occur with other neurological diseases or disorders, such as aphasia.
In dealing with apraxia, the doctor will also advise patients to undergo occupational therapy. In this therapy, patients will be taught how to move the body and facial muscles, as well as various communication techniques which include:
- Repeat words or phrases many times.
- Say certain words and learn to move from one word to another.
- Learn to observe closely how the therapist's mouth moves when saying a word or phrase.
- Practice speaking in front of a mirror. It aims to help patients remember mouth movements when saying a word or phrase.
In addition, sufferers can also learn other communication techniques, such as sign language, to make it easier to communicate with others.
Losing control of the movements of the mouth or other body parts not only inhibits activity, but can also be a mental blow to people with apraxia.
If allowed to drag on, this condition can reduce self-confidence and disrupt the sufferer's social life. Therefore, psychological assistance and moral support from the family are needed for the successful handling of apraxia.
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