iName it: A Groundbreaking App for People with Word-Finding Difficulties

Dallas, TX, March 22, 2012. About one million people in America (one in 275 adults) live with some form of aphasia or apraxia, and most of them have word-finding difficulties: trouble thinking of and retrieving the right words. Clinicians have developed several evidence-based cueing strategies for word finding, but no single approach suits everyone, because each person’s case is different and often needs combined approaches. That is why it is essential to have one tool that brings these approaches together.

iName it is the first app to give patients a simple, systematic way to retrieve target words shown in realistic scenes, supported by five types of evidence-based cues. Each word can be elicited with one or more cues, so speech therapists can combine them to meet the needs of patients at many different levels.

Published by Smarty Ears, iName it was created by certified speech-language pathologists Elizabeth Begley and Mary Pitti to help people with word-finding difficulties caused by aphasia or apraxia.

“This app is essential for every SLP who works with people who have aphasia. It targets basic functional words that people use every day, shown in attractive, realistic scenes, and the user has several cueing methods to choose from. This app is bound to be your favorite in your collection.”

Mary Pitti, Clinic Program Director and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Ithaca College

iName it includes fifty items typically found around the house and in the community, shown in household scenes such as the garage, kitchen, bathroom and living room.

“Clients can select a room in the house and then work with a therapist, a spouse, or alone to name items in the room. While the target item is in the center of the screen, the room is always visible in the background. The ‘adult look’ of the items and scenes will appeal to older people, who often reject childlike or cartoon images. The app encourages practice both in therapy and at home.”

Elizabeth Begley, AAC Clinic, College Station Medical Center

iName it can be used by speech-language pathologists, family members and people with word-finding difficulties themselves. It is designed for adults but appropriate for all ages.

“I am amazed at the number of adult clients who buy iPads and are looking for apps to help their language recovery. iName it can be an excellent addition to regaining naming skills.”

Elizabeth Begley