Camilla Jessen
A US father has shared his experience of a rare neurological condition after he unexpectedly began speaking Spanish upon waking from surgery.
Stephen Chase, from Utah, was 19 when he underwent an operation on his right knee following a football injury.
But instead of grogginess or confusion, Chase shocked doctors and family by speaking fluent Spanish as he came out of anesthesia.
Now 33, Chase says his previous exposure to the language was minimal.
“I did not speak Spanish,” he explained to Ladbible. “I had a year in high school. It was beginner level. Maybe I could count to 10 and knew a couple of phrases. I just remember people asking me to speak English and being really confused. I wasn’t capable of speaking Spanish like that before, so I was very shocked.”
A rare condition with few known cases
Doctors believe Chase’s experience was caused by Foreign Language Syndrome (FLS), also known as Foreign Accent Syndrome. The condition can cause people to suddenly speak a different language or adopt a new accent without intending to do so.
According to the National Library of Medicine, FLS can be triggered by brain injury, psychological stress, or anesthesia. In post-surgery cases, the effects usually last from minutes to hours.
The Cleveland Clinic says the condition is extremely rare, with only about 100 confirmed cases worldwide since it was first identified in 1907.
Why Spanish?
Chase believes his brain may have drawn on past exposure to the language. He grew up around Spanish speakers and spent a lot of time at a friend’s home where Spanish was spoken regularly.
“I never knew what anyone was saying, but I heard it all the time,” he said.
Remarkably, Chase says the same thing has happened after every surgery he has had since. Each time, Spanish temporarily replaces English before his normal speech returns.
Sources: Kennedy News and Media, National Library of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ladbible
