Communication Kit for Stroke Patients.  (1999). By Diane Johnson. Certified Speech Pathology, P.O. Box 191464, San Diego, CA 92159-1464. Includes master book, communication book, manual, cards, etc.; $40. Reviewed by Kathleen Treole, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.  

The Communication Kit  is designed for patients with aphasia (inpatient, outpatient, rehab), as well as their caregivers, spouses, or friends. This kit is a therapy tool that allows the SLP to provide a communication system for the patient, as well as use the stimuli within therapy-teaching sessions. There are no specific restrictions for use identified in the manual. Certainly, an SLP familiar with communication systems and aphasia therapy will be able to use this tool with the most ease; however, a caregiver or family member would be able to utilize the materials with thorough reading of the manual, through trial and error, and in consultation with the SLP. This is a "communication book" system in which there are "master" pages that are slowly transferred into the patient’s own communication book as the patient learns to utilize the words/pictures/concepts on the page. There are cards of all the pages that can be utilized in therapy activities for this system, as well as in many aphasia therapy sessions.

Overall, this communication book system appears to be a cost-effective tool for some aphasia patients to acquire a communication system. The pictures on the communication cards are black and white, and color ones could be more salient for some patients. However, there are blank pages that can be used to add additional pictures, and these could be in color. The directions in the manual were, at times, confusing, but in general the idea of the kit is obvious after reviewing the materials and following the directions for getting the communication book started for a patient. The manual contains excellent ideas on how to incorporate the patient’s book and its stimuli into therapy activities that help the patient learn how to use the instrument as well as regain language/vocabulary skills. Patients with poor hand/finger dexterity may have difficulty using the communication book on their own due to the need to flip pages and "search" for appropriate pictures/words. Patients with visual acuity deficits also may have difficulty utilizing this kit. It is a small book that could be carried in the shirt pocket or purse of many individuals and thus would be user-friendly for many patients with aphasia.