Stroke victim Nadine gets her voice back, thanks to an iPod Touch

A stroke sufferer who was left with severe communication problems has discovered she can make herself heard through an iPod Touch.


After suffering a major stroke as a result of a head injury two years ago, 38-year-old Nadine Howsam is using her communication support worker's iPod Touch to make herself heard.


Nora Moffat, who works for the Stroke Association in Lincolnshire, said there were two apps available on both the iPod Touch and the iPhone that can aid communication.


And she is teaching Mrs Howsam, who only has partial use of her right-hand side, to utilise the apps so she can ask for items in a shop and make conversation with people.


One of the apps consists of a set of catalogue cards with phrases including "I've had a stroke", "good morning" and "I would like a coffee".


And the iPod Touch can be prompted to "speak" these phrases out loud. Another app can store pre-written phrases onto the iPod Touch to be spoken by the device.


Mrs Howsam, who lives at Blenheim Care Centre in Hemswell near Gainsborough, was an avid reader prior to her stroke, but is now unable to read long stretches of text. However, she can now keep up with her favourite authors by listening to audio books on the iPod Touch....NEXT