Stop Stuttering

We now live in a fast paced society wherein time is considered money. Mobility is very essential. Being able to adapt easily in the ever changing times is a must. One must learn to deliver his or her messages concisely and in the most convenient manner. Being able to present one’s ideas nowadays is a valuable skill. But what if a person has a speech impediment? Stuttering is one of the most common speech disorders. It affects a number of young children and adults, thus resulting to poor performance in their daily activities at school and at work.

Stutterers need not sulk in a corner and dwell in self pity. There are effective practices that can help improve one’s condition. These best practices come from people who have suffered from stuttering at some point in their young or adult life. There are ways to ameliorate this condition. These things that a stutterer can capitalize on are as follows:

- Sing Away. People who suffer from stuttering should try singing out the words instead of the usual syllabication of words. It should be done in a sing song manner. This is similar to what Broadway artists do in musicales. They converse through singing. Singing is a form of relaxation. If a stutterer sings out the words there is smooth natural flow of words, instead of anxiety driven syllabication of words which usually causes more tension in the facial muscles and jaw. When you sing, you let go of your inhibitions. This is a good technique for stutterers who normally have poor self esteem. Sing your stutter away.

- Visualization is another effective practice for people who stutter. If you cannot image it then it cannot be yours. This is true especially if one cannot organize his or her thoughts. There’s a therapy that will allow a patient to see the correct tongue or mouth placement in forming words. This is similar to this technique except that one must visualize the image in his or her mind before opening his or her mouth to speak. If one can image it perfectly then the anatomical processes will follow naturally. One must always do his or her best to have a clear mental picture of what he or she wants to say or verbalize.

- Breathe properly. Inhale and exhale properly. Learn to take pauses when speaking. There are fast talkers but the goal is not to replicate their manner of speaking. The goal is to be able to express the words and be understood. Learn to speak in a moderate pace. There is no rush here nor do competitions on who can out talk the other person. Breathing relaxes tensed nerves. If you noticed most stutterers feel that they are drowning and gasping for air. Proper breathing will cure this. When faced with a difficult word to pronounce take a good deep breath.

- Practice saying things in your mind. This is similar to visual imaging. This technique is usually referred as aural visualization. One can actually hear the words spoken out smoothly and perfectly. One must practice hearing the words or phrases correctly. Please do not aurally visualize wrong practices such as repetition of syllables in a word. The goal is to hear the right word pronunciation. If one can do this he or she will have at least 90 percent successful rate.

This is similar to learning a new song. One can actually hear the melody in his or her mind - the riffs, the low and high notes. If we translate this in speech it is the peaks and valleys, ups and downs, stresses and inflections in conversational English.

- Learn to Relax. Remove the unnecessary clutter in your system. Stress and anxiety are one of the major causes of stuttering. If you are already suffering from this condition, do your best to destress and have a stress-free environment. You are your worst enemy. So be more kind to yourself. Do not put yourself in stressful situations. Do not pressure yourself. Nobody’s perfect. They say that practice makes perfect, so always keep these tips handy. Relax and enjoy life!

Stuttering Add new tag, Tips

A child’s basic necessities in life are provided by their parents. Parenting entails a lot of responsibility and accountability. What happens when a child has a speech disorder like stuttering? In this case, parents are expected to give more than what is expected from them. Love should transcend this challenge and these tips can immensely help those parents experiencing the same concern.

1. Parents should serve as the foundation and pillars of the emotional and moral support of children with stuttering problems. This is where their patience is being tested. They are expected to embrace and improve the current condition of their child. Their support can influence the quick response to therapy or even improvement in their child’s condition.

2. You must learn to create an environment of mutualism - give and take. If somebody talks, the rest listens. This is essential for a stutterer so that he or she can speak freely even if it takes longer as compared to a normal person. This will allow the stutterer to develop self-esteem and respect.

3. Simplify your language. The words or phrases you use in asking questions should be short and simple. This will help your child to express himself or herself freely. Let your child finish his or her sentences before proceeding to your next question. In this manner, anxiety and frustration are being eliminated.

4. Listen well to the messages being conveyed by your child. This will help you understand your child’s thought patterns. Do not be indifferent to your child. Your response should be the same as that of your usual conversation with a normal kid. You do not want to alienate your child. Just let him or her do his or her usual conversational practices.

5. As a parent of a child with speech disorder, do not be in a hurry in exposing your child to activities that will deflate his or her self-esteem. A stage mother or father image is not a good idea to begin with in the real world, there are bullies especially kids who are clueless of this speech disorder. But if your child is eager to do stuff like performing for a big crowd, just let them be and have fun.

6. Empower your other kids by educating them of their sibling’s speech disorder. A child who stutters is in constant need of acceptance and understanding especially from family members. A family founded strongly by love will have healthy kids.

7. Seek the assistance of certified and licensed Speech Language Pathologists. There are various drills and therapies that can help improve and alleviate your child’s stuttering condition. There is no known cure yet and reinforcing these proven therapies can greatly improve your child’s well being.

8. Lastly, love your child with no ifs or buts. Unconditional love conquers all forms of speech disorders. A child filled with love is healthy. Combine this love with the appropriate medical assistance and support network; your child’s situation will immensely improve quickly as your child grows older.

These may be 8 simple tips but they do not guarantee that practicing them religiously is going to be that easy. Love, acceptance, patience, support group, medical attention and a whole lot more are the major keys in accomplishing your goal in improving your child’s condition and removing their stuttering problem.

Stuttering Children, Stuttering, Tips

Stuttering is a speech disorder where the individual’s natural flow of speech is disrupted prolongations or repetitions of certain sounds, syllables and words. There are times; this makes it impossible to even start a word.

Other than the difficulty in speaking, this is usually accompanied by tremors of the lips or jaw, raid eye blinks, and tremors in the upper body. Stress worsens the situation when he or she has to speak to a big crowd or even talk on the phone. When one is relaxed, this dissipates when one is singing or speaking alone.

This disorder can also be known as stammering. It should also be pointed out that this is different from the two other speech disorders namely spasmodic dysphonia and cluttering.

Based on studies, there are 3 million Americans that stutter. This starts at the early age of 2 to 6 since this is the time that they are still developing language skills. The ratio between boys and girls is 3 to 1. The redeeming news is that many children outgrow this and only a small percentage of those who suffer are adults.

Some of the best speakers in the world that we have today suffered from stuttering when they were younger. These personalities include Bruce Willis, James Earl Jones, Mel Tillis and Carly Simon. Who would have thought they overcame this challenge? The facts can attest to the veracity of this claim.

But what really causes stuttering? Some scientists believe that it’s genetics because it’s developmental. Some argue that it is neurogenic which means that signal problems between the brain and the nerves causes this to happen. Thus, the brain is not able to coordinate properly the different components of speech. It can also happen if the person suffered from a stroke or other form of brain injury.

Stuttering may be psychogenic, meaning it originates in the mind but this only accounts for a small number of sufferers.

The best person to diagnose if you have a speech disorder such as stuttering is with the help of a certified and licensed speech language pathologist. This person is trained to conduct diagnostic tests that will determine the appropriate treatment or therapy.

Currently, there is no available cure for stuttering. Given that the majority of those who stutter are behavioral, treatment can only improve the person’s condition.

The program is created to teach the patients to monitor the rate at which they speak. They will also learn to say words in a slower pace. They will usually start with short phrases first until such time that they can speak much faster and in longer sentences.  Follow up sessions are needed to prevent relapse making this a life long problem. This will also help in reinforcing the drills and therapies learned in the clinic so that they can use them in the outside world where they are expected to interact.

Other than the patient, the parents are empowered by educating them of their children’s situation so they will know what to do when their child stutters. A relaxed home environment is the best suitable place that will allow the child to speak. If the child should stutter, they should refrain from criticizing as this has negative effects. Parents should give all the necessary moral support their child’s needs. Parents can also help by speaking slowly and in a relaxed manner as this will also be imbibed by their child.

Some doctors have utilized electronic devices and medications to treat stuttering. Unfortunately, the use of drugs often causes side effects to the child. Relying on a machine is not even a convenient and accessible option especially when the child has to move around.

Stuttering Stuttering

People who do not have speech disorders should exert extra effort in understanding the condition and knowing the proper way to deal with those with disorders. This will definitely promote better communication with those who has speech disorders such as stuttering. Here are some tips that people without speech disorder can do to improve their communication with people that stutter.

1. Be more conscious in controlling your urge in ending their sentences or filling in the words for them. This is indeed a very practical way in promoting better communication with stutterers. The reason for this is that when you fill in the words or finish their sentences, you are aggravating their conditions, especially on the self-esteem part. Once they get the feeling that you are becoming impatient, they will become more conscious and will stutter more. These people want to be respected and accepted. They want to be treated just like any ordinary people.

2. Your good intentions might prove to be more fatal in the long run. Refrain from saying phrases or words such as “Relax”, “Slow down” or “Take a deep breath”. These phrases will only give them the impression that they are not normal and that there is something wrong with them. This is like adding insult to injury and they will feel more left ostracized from the so-called normal society. Instead use encouraging words or phrases such as “Go on” or ” I understand” even if it takes for them to finish their sentences.

3. Do not give them a look like you do not understand what he or she is saying. It is definitely understandable for normal people to have difficulties understanding the words or sentences of people who stutter. But then again, it is very important to show these people that they are not too different from us. Please keep in mind, that stuttering can be psychological. Rejections from a community or even from family members trigger this condition. The most effective way to show that we sincerely care is to understand them even if it really takes more time and effort.

4. Be more patient and understanding when listening to people who stutter. One can show this by allowing a stutterer to finish when he or she is speaking. This is a very important skill and must be done consistently. Remember that people who stutter have low self esteem and social skills. Being more patient and allowing him or her to finish his or her sentence gives him or her the much needed acceptance and self respect. This is a very important aspect of their therapies.

5. Be more extra sensitive when conversing with people with speech disorders such as stuttering. One must be flexible in adjusting one’s pace in speaking. Maintaining a moderate pace is vital since it allows a natural flow in the conversation. Producing a more relaxed and subtle rate of speaking not overwhelming him or her to adapt to a normal person’s rate of speech. Without the usual pressure of the normal society he or she can communicate more effectively.

6. Empathize but do not sympathize. The worst thing one will do is to pity a stutterer. People with speech disorders do not want to be pitied or be treated as a disable person. Give everyone an equal chance to everything. Offer assistance only when asked by them. Do not make them feel inferior.

7. Keep in mind to maintain eye contact when conversing with a person that has a speech disorder. Remember that a sincere eye contact gives him or her a warm feeling of acceptance, belongingness and respect.

8. Do not be pretentious. Pretending that you fully understand what they said is not helping them at all. People with speech disorder will be more than willing to repeat what they said to make sure that they are perfectly understood. Just be honest with them if you need them to clarify some things. One can simply say “I’m sorry, I did not get what you said” will help them exert the much needed effort in communicating effectively.

Stuttering Communication, Stuttering

There are various speech disorders. Stuttering can be considered as such. Although there are no permanent cure yet, there is a person who can help and he or she is known as Speech Language Pathologist (SLP).

SLPs are professionals knowledgeable in the study of human communication, its development and the various disorders associated with it, so that they know how to help their patients. They must pass a licensing exam or a state certification in order to practice their profession. They must also be certified by the ASHA or the American Speech Language Hearing Association. They hold a master’s degree and in the absence of a doctor, a speech assistant can help out.

Preliminary tests are being done before an SLP can start treating a child. Treatment is unique since patients have different cases. What will work to one child may not necessarily be suitable to another. One must remember that stuttering varies depending on the child’s age, gender and type. Treatment should be tailor-fitted. There are times, wherein the SLP will need to use various strategies to treat the disorder.

One of the strategies would be a language intervention activity. Here, the SLP will interact with the child by talking and playing. To stimulate the language development of a child various multimedia forms are being used - books, pictures and musical instruments. When a child encounters difficulty in pronouncing a word, this is when the repetition exercises are most effective.

Sound production or articulation therapy is another strategy. Here, the SLP will teach the child how to pronounce letters and produce the correct sound. The SLP will demonstrate to the child the correct way of moving the tongue in producing certain sounds. Therapy sessions for these strategies can be done with a small group or on a one on one basis.

Other strategies that an SLP can use are the following: trial therapy, vocal control, anxiety reduction technique, airflow therapies, attitudinal therapy, biofeedback methods and rhythmic speech.

If your child is diagnosed with stuttering, the first thing a parent can do is to find a specialist who can help his or her child. One can just check the phone directory or simply ask a referral from their family doctors. There are states that have associations and they have a listing of certified and licensed specialists.

Specialists can only do their best and a vital part of a child’s improvement is mainly caused by supportive parents. There have been studies that prove that children with this speech disorder easily complete the program and have long term results due to having very supportive parents.

Having calm, relaxed and pressure free atmosphere at home can help stimulate the child to speak. Parents are highly encouraged to speak slowly so that the child will be able to learn the word correctly.

The specialist may recommend appropriate activities at home that were mentioned earlier to help ensure continuous progress even outside the clinic. Practice makes permanent.

Although medications are available to treat stuttering, their use is not being encouraged because of the side effects. Devices have also been invented to help treat this disorder.

The advancement in science and technology makes it easier nowadays for people who stutter to get treatment. If you have it, you can empower yourself by seeking professional help through Speech Language Therapists. Educating yourself with the various strategies can help alleviate your condition. Now, if you are a parent then you can do the same thing to you child who has this disorder. Always remember that there is no quick fix for this disorder. There is no perfect cure or treatment. The goal is to reduce the number of repetitions and disruptions when a person who has this disorder is speaking.

There is still so much to discuss about stuttering and we’ve only just begun.

Stuttering SLP, Stuttering, Therapist

Wikipedia Stuttering - Online definitions and information.

NIDCD - Government site with some basic diagnosis and treatment information.

The Stuttering Foundation provides free online resources, services and support to those who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering.

Stuttering links, resources

A number of studies have been conducted regarding the topic of stuttering and brain problems. They have been interrelated as a result of various studies. So far, there has not been any substantial proof of their real relation. Studies strongly show that the disfigured part of the brain that is responsible for speech is the main cause of stuttering.

Most Psychology books would say that everything can be traced through your childhood. This is one aspect being checked at as one of the causes of stuttering. Emotional traumas or baggage that are deep seated, are strongly responsible to such speech disorder. They say that it’s permissible for a toddler to do this at three years old but if it goes beyond this age, then it’s a serious matter that needs some medical attention.

Characteristics of Stutterers

Stutterers usually manifest their condition through the repetition of consonants in words and phrases. The serious conditions are those when words are being repeated in an unusually longer manner. Other than this repetitive manner, they have a series of short pauses or long pauses whenever they are expressing their thoughts. Stutterers also appear drawn out from what they are saying because of the manner in which they are expressing what they want to say.

There is a big difference with a child who is just learning to talk and experiencing the entire process as compared to a child with even a mild case of stuttering. The latter would repeat twice the sound of syllables that they hear with what they would really want to say. There is also an observable tightening of the facial muscles of a child with this medical condition. He or she would really look like that there is a major struggle with the words to be expressed but has difficulties determining how to verbalize or pronounce the word.

Some children with this condition would oftentimes raise their voices in dismay about their situation. Some would stop in the middle of their sentences because they feel like they are gasping for air and have a feeling of not being able to continue or finish what they are saying. Children with severe cases of stuttering are those that stutter for more than ten percent of their entire speech.

The child may appear to be having an abrasive or boisterous behavior as a result of not being able to do a simple task such as talking. They get consumed easily with the pressure and tension of their situation. Once exposed to normal kids, their situation may worsen, psychologically. Reality sinks in and there will be kids who will not understand and accept them. They will be bullied, causing deep seated psychological scars. This can be a major cause for their early depression in life.

The Cure

There are medications available that can help alleviate this condition. But there are no perfect guarantees. It will still depend on a child’s immune system and how this child’s body will react to the medication. Being a parent myself, the best cure is to give continuous therapy and never ending supply of moral support.

Even though stuttering and brain problems are often being linked, this condition is not a gage of a child’s innate intelligence. There is a research claiming that a person who stutters has superior intelligence. That person stutters because his or her brain functions in an extraordinarily quick manner. So next time observe how intelligent individuals talk. They do stutter as well.

Stuttering Stuttering