title: [Design of a non-verbal method of communication using cartoons].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nursery care to patients with serious disorders of language expression is complex and arises nervousness in the patient, his relatives and in the professionals caring for him.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim has been to design a number of drawings which allow us to improve our ability to connect with patients suffering from serious disorders of verbal language.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have applied a booklet of drawings, representing the most common needs of this kind of patients, to a group of 34 patients affected of severe dysarthria or motor aphasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of our patients have used this booklet to express their basic needs and that has resulted in a lower degree of anxiety in these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our intention was not to design a new language but to use a very simple form of language, visual language, to standardize the most basic communication with patients affected of severe language disorders. We invite other groups on neurological nursing in our country to use this strategy so as to connect with their patients.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Enfermería Neurológica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, España.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Márquez-Rebollo
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tornel-Costa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001039:Aphasia, Broca / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D010865:Pilot Projects
vernacular_title: Diseño de un método de comunicación no verbal por viñetas.