How Speech Therapists are involved in treating COVID 19 “brain fog” and resulting cognitive communication impairments

Nearly two years after the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm, its effects on those who were infected are becoming better understood. The COVID-19 infection is particularly serious for high-risk individuals, including the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. Many cases have resulted in mild symptoms and likely resolved without hospitalization.

However, many patients are being hospitalized for an extended period of time, and some require life-saving measures such as a breathing machine because of Acute Respiratory Distress or Failure. It has been reported that a large proportion of patients continue to experience multiple symptoms more than 6 months after recovery from COVID-19, regardless of the severity of their initial illness.

Respiratory Distress and/or Failure is known to cause long-term changes in physical function, worsen mental health, and lead to cognitive dysfunction. It is estimated that more than 70% of patients requiring mechanical ventilation following respiratory distress and/or failure may have some level of cognitive impairment in the months following. Many patients demonstrate cognitive impairment similar to that of Alzheimer’s Dementia or Traumatic Brain Injury, even one year after the intensive care unit.

As we learn more about the COVID-19 infection and its long-term effects, many survivors report what has been more commonly referred to as “Brain Fog”, or cognitive challenges. Many people have recovered from the acute, life-threatening effects of COVID-19, but still don’t feel that their thinking and memory are back to normal. Some may find a decrease in higher level executive functioning skills such as problem solving, organization, and planning. Severity of cognitive impairment may vary for each person, but they typically describe symptoms such as fatigue, reduced orientation, delayed processing speed, poor attention, and changes in memory.

Speech-language pathologists (SLP’s) are uniquely qualified to help in these situations because they are trained to evaluate and treat cognitive-communication disorders. Speech therapy begins with a thorough clinical interview followed by assessment of language, cognition/memory, or even swallowing depending on patient needs. Then, the SLP works with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan.

If you are a COVID-19 survivor and noticing increased forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, losing track of the date, or difficulty keeping a schedule or staying organized, it may be wise to talk to your doctor about the potential for cognitive-communication impairment. Ask if a referral for speech therapy services is right for you.

References:

Ramage, A. (2020). Potential for cognitive communication impairment in COVID-19 survivors: A call to action for speech-language pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29:1821-1832.