Alexia Health Dictionary

Alexia: a condition in which, as the result of disease in the brain, a person becomes unable to associate their proper meanings with words, although he or she may be quite able to spell the letters.

Word deafness is an associated condition in which, although hearing remains perfect, the patient has lost the power of referring the names heard to the articles they denote. (See also DYSPHASIA.)... word blindness

(Greek) Form of Alexandra, meaning “helper and defender of mankind” Aleka, Alexia... alexa

Loss of, or impaired, ability to write, despite normal functioning of the hand and arm muscles, caused by brain damage. Agraphia can result from damage to any of the various parts of the cerebrum concerned with writing and can therefore be of different types and degrees of severity. Such damage is most commonly due to head injury, stroke, or a brain tumour. Agraphia is often accompanied by alexia (loss of the ability to read) or may be part of an expressive aphasia (general disturbance in the expression of language). There is no specific treatment for agraphia, but some lost writing skills may return in time.... agraphia

A complete absence of previously acquired language skills, caused by a brain disorder that affects the ability to speak and write, and/or the ability to comprehend and read. Related disabilities that may occur in aphasia are alexia (word blindness) and agraphia (writing difficulty).

Language function in the brain lies in the dominant cerebral hemisphere (see cerebrum). Two particular areas in this hemisphere, Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, and the pathways connecting the two, are important in language skills. Damage to these areas, which most commonly occurs as a result of stroke or head injury, can lead to aphasia.

Some recovery from aphasia is usual following a stroke or head injury, although the more severe the aphasia, the less the chances of recovery. Speech therapy is the main treatment. (See also dysphasia; speech; speech disorders.)

SIGN	SCORE 0	SCORE 1	SCORE 2
Heart-rate	None	Below 100 beats per minute	Over 100 beats per minute
Breathing	None	Weak cry; irregular breathing	Strong cry; regular breathing
Muscle tone	Limp	Some muscle tone	Active movement
Response to stimulation	None	Grimace or whimpering	Cry, sneeze or cough
Colour	Pale; blue	Blue extremities	Pink

... aphasia

n. a disorder of the brain whereby the patient cannot interpret sensations correctly although the sense organs and nerves conducting sensation to the brain are functioning normally. It is due to a disorder of the *association areas in the parietal lobes. In auditory agnosia the patient can hear but cannot interpret sounds (including speech). A patient with tactile agnosia (astereognosis) retains normal sensation in his hands but cannot recognize three-dimensional objects by touch alone. In visual agnosia the patient can see but cannot interpret symbols, including letters (see alexia).... agnosia

n. see alexia.... asymbolia

n. a developmental disorder selectively affecting a child’s ability to learn to read and write. The condition affects boys more often than girls and can create serious educational problems. It is sometimes called specific dyslexia, developmental reading disorder, or developmental word blindness to distinguish it from acquired difficulties with reading and writing. Compare alexia. —dyslexic adj.... dyslexia