Communication skill

Communication with special needs

client

Patmaraja
Vasu
Govinraaj
Yuvanes linda
faridah
 What is communication

 Communicate = “To Connect,” “To establish rapport.”

 Communication = “The successful transfer, (send >
receive > understand) of intended meaning.”
 Communicating is not just providing information.
Communication also involves a critical element that is
often overlooked - knowing the recipient receives and
understands the intent.
 Why communication with special
needs is important?
 Effective communication with special needs patient can
develop a unique sense of confidence, which helps them to
have greater engagement and room adjustment with their peer
group. It is a means by which special needs patient can be
motivated for effective treatment.
 helps them to understand something special of interest to them
and of interest to their peers
 Thus effective communication of patient with special needs
can help to improve interpersonal relationships and establish
healthy contacts between therapist and patient of special needs
and their peers.
 Cont…

 It enables therapist to acquire adequate information

about their special needs and to develop a suitable
treatment to their special needs.
 communication helps in overcoming nervousness, stage
frightness, shyness and thus helps to improve the self
image of special needs patient.
 During effective communication, special needs patient
can express their feeling in a more better and expansive
manner.
 Who are they?

 As a therapist, we need clarify who is the special need patient that

is should given a first class attention.
 They are
1. Deaf
2. Blind
3. Stroke patient
4. Parkinson disease patient
5. Cerebral palsy patient
6. Down syndrome patient
7. Mature
 Method
Sensory Changes
Hearing loss: There are several reasons for hearing loss, including
genetic factors, repeated exposure to loud noise, viruses or brain
damage from a stroke or tumours. Many older adults gradually lose
their hearing.
How to help:
1.Face the person directly and be on the same level.
2.Reduce background noises.
3.If we have to speak louder, try lowering the tone of our voice.
Lower tones are more easily heard.
4.Use short sentences.
5.If the person uses a hearing aide, be sure they are wearing it.
6.Use nonverbal communication-like gestures, facial expression and
touch.
 Cont…
Effects of Disease or Disability
Lung disease: Emphysema, asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) all decrease lung capacity, resulting in
shortness of breath. People with severe lung disease might avoid
conversation and become withdrawn when the effort to speak makes
them "winded."
How to help:
1.Don't expect them to talk to us when doing any other physical
activity like walking or getting dressed or eating.
2.Allow plenty of time. Don't rush.
3.Try placing a pillow on the person's lap to support their upper body
or sit at a table so they have a surface on which to lean forward. By
supporting the upper body, it conserves energy that can be used for
communication.
4.Gentle massage of the upper back and chest can ease muscle tension
associated with shortness of breath.
 Cont…
 Brain injury and disease: Stroke, Parkinson's disease and traumatic
injury can all affect the ability to communicate because of impaired
motor skills associated with speech, as well as impaired function of
the speech and language centre's in the brain.
 Dysarthria is the term used to refer to slurred speech resulting from
the inability to coordinate the muscles used in speaking. This makes
speech hard to understand.
 How to help:
1. Be patient and respectful.
2. Ask simple yes/no questions.
3. Ask them to point or use gestures to help get their message across.
4. Ask the person to write it down.
5. Give permission to just be quiet and enjoy receiving our touch.
 Example of communication with
special needs patient

 As a physiotherapy, we need to face many kind of

patient with special needs
 Here is the example of communication with stroke
patient.
 Step 1

 Learn all about stroke, including the different types of

strokes, their symptoms and preventive measures to
avoid strokes.
 Understanding the illness makes us more empathetic
toward the patient and increases our communication
skills with him.
 Step 2

 Accept the communication the stroke patient uses. Her

ability to speak might be severely impaired. To
communicate with us, they might make signs with their
hands.
 Learn the signals they is conveying and use them to
speak back to her. If their speech is slow and distorted
(slurred), speak in a regular tone of voice.
 Use simple words to prevent misinterpretations. Allow
their plenty of time to express herself.
 Step 3

 Be a good listener and avoid talking down to the patient.

Aphasia is a disorder most frequently caused by stroke.
It occurs when the language centre's of the brain are
damaged. The patient's ability to communicate becomes
more limited with this condition
 however, his hearing will most likely still be intact.
 they can speak, just not as effectively as before. Speak
slowly (not louder) when communicating with him.
 Step 4

 Be prepared for the emotional ups and downs that the

stroke patient undergoes. Their condition might lead to
clinical depression. Their self-esteem might waver.
They might become withdrawn or irritable. If they
exhibits signs of depression for long periods of time or
if her symptoms become severe, call her mental health
professional for help.
 Step 5

 Show our professional skill so that the patient can

believe us, thus the communication period will be a
meaning time to the patient
 Always make the patient to feel comfortable while
communicate with us.
 Always throw a smile and show all our afford that we
are going to treat them
 Step 6

 At times when communication is not working, give it a

rest.
 Take time out and try again later.
 Sometimes the family or friend has exhausted the
twenty questions and both parties are becoming
frustrated. Tell the patient, “we will think about it,” or
“we can try again later.”
Thank you….