Rockville, MD —July 17, 2006 A report on cognitive-communication disorders, swallowing dysfunction, and ear injuries as a result of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan is highlighted in the July 11 issue of The ASHA Leader, a publication of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Blast injuries are the result of a new pattern of missile warfare—the use of improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades. Explosions from such weapons cause strong air pressure "blasts," resulting in a constellation of impairments to body organs and systems.
Recognizing the specialized treatment needed for blast injuries, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses a new model of advanced rehabilitation care provided by an interdisciplinary team of specialists at Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRC) and Polytrauma Network sites. The ASHA Leader report, written by audiologists and speech-language pathologists who treat soldiers and combat veterans, is a collection of four feature articles:
- "Blast Injuries: A New Kind of Patient for Speech-Language Pathologists," by Micaela Cornis-Pop, describes polytrauma injuries sustained by soldiers and describes the treatment and rehabilitation often required;
- "Blast-Related Ear Injury in Current U.S. Military Operations: Role of Audiology on the Interdisciplinary Team," by Col. David Chandler, overviews hearing-related injuries going back to World War II, with special focus on ear injuries of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and implications for treatment;
- "One Soldier's Story," by John DaVanzo, relates the story of Steve Cobb, an Iraq War veteran with brain injury, in an intensive rehabilitation program. Cobb, who has also shared his experiences on NPR, was told after his injury to take Motrin for his intense headaches;
- "Blast Injury Basics: A Guide for the Medical Speech-Language Pathologist," by Gloriajean Wallace, provides background information on the nature of blast injuries and the challenges soldiers and veterans face in the long rehabilitation process and re-entry into the community.
"These articles provide a comprehensive and compelling accounting of the most common combat injury sustained by our soldiers and the complex, long-term medical management that is required in delivering treatment," says Alex Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA president. "Anyone who seeks to understand the impact of blast injuries and the effort required in the recovery process will benefit by reading these articles."
This report is but the latest step ASHA has taken to highlight these important issues. The first comprehensive report, "Caring for Our Soldiers," appeared in the November 18, 2003, ASHA Leader. A more recent study appearing in the December 2005 issue of ASHA's American Journal of Audiology reported that U.S. Army soldiers sent to battle zones were 52.5 times more likely to suffer hearing injuries aja.asha.org/cgi/reprint/14/2/161. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists have also been collecting data on the wounded-in-action as well as studying ways to balance treatment for multiple problems and changing priorities.
The majority of those with blast injuries require surgeons and orthopedics. However, audiologists in the PRCs indicate the number of soldiers requiring treatment for auditory damage could be higher than reported. These injuries are often considered secondary to wounds requiring immediate surgical attention, and ear and balance deficits can often be overlooked or misdiagnosed. There have even been cases where traumatic brain injuries, lacking any visible signs, have gone undetected for several weeks.
ASHA is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 123,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. For more information on speech, language, and hearing disorders, consumers can log on to www.asha.org or call 1-800-638-TALK. Spanish-speaking operators are available.
Reprinted with permission of ASHA.
