Stuttering is a speech disorder that is common in young children. It also called stammering, which makes some children repeat words or parts of a word. For instance, stutterers often repeat the letter W, such as in “W-w-w-wel-come” and the letter S, “S-s-s-eee you s-s-s-soon!” when they talk. It usually goes away on its own, while in some cases, could last into adulthood. Based on studies, boys are more likely to stutter than girls (Stuttering).
(Source: The Department of Speech and Hearing Science,
The disorder is caused by several factors. First is developmental stuttering, which occurs in children. This is the most common type of stuttering, which children go through as part of their language and speech preparation. There is also the kind of stuttering that is caused by genetics. Studies reveal that stuttering is an inherited brain abnormality that runs in families, which means a problem “in the language centers of the brain” (Mayo Clinic Staff). It can also be caused by a health problem such as a brain injury or a stroke, and at other times, by mental health issues caused by emotional trauma.
Treatment methods are available for stuttering. Treatment may be done at home, in a hospital, or with the help of a speech pathologist. The primary method of treatment is called controlled fluency, which teaches patients to speak slowly and take note of instances when they stutter. As therapy moves along, the patient learns to follow the natural speech pattern. Patients may also opt for cognitive behavioral therapy, which dissects the problem and considers stress and psychological problems as reasons for an individual’s stuttering. Electronic devices may also be used. These are usually worn similar to a hearing aid, where the patient is required to speak slowly and deliberately. Treatment may also involve more intensive programs that require the help of a speech professional. Usually, these programs are done in hospitals or clinics and could last from two hours to four weeks at a time (Mayo Clinic Staff).
During this time, the doctor who works with a patient determines the cause of the speech problem and whether it will bring about long-term effects to the patient or not. If the cause is developmental in nature, there is no cause for worry because through consistent therapy, a child will outgrow his or her stuttering. However, for adult stutterers, the doctor has to go deeper and consider the various psychological problems that the individual is having, which could be the reason for the stuttering. In such cases, the doctor will work on the psychological problems alongside the stuttering problem.
Stuttering causes problems with an individual’s self-confidence and self-esteem, thus, parents and friends are advised to be more sensitive when it comes to communicating with stutterers. Listening attentively to the individual and maintaining eye contact can help establish trust between the stutterer and the parent. It also helps to let the child finish his or her sentence before jumping in to complete the stutterer’s sentence to give the individual a chance to express oneself. Speaking slowly and deliberately will also help because the stutterer will tend to imitate the person talking, thus, the lesser the chance that the individual will stutter. Most important of all, parents and friends must not focus on the stuttering too much as it could make the person more self-conscious. Instead, offer support and encouragement always to help boost the individual’s confidence level.
For additional information on stuttering:
National Stuttering Association - http://www.nsastutter.org/
Stuttering Foundation of America - http://www.stutteringhelp.org/
International Stuttering Association - http://www.stutterisa.org/
Works Cited
Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Stuttering – Causes. Mayo Clinic. Web. 21 November 2013. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stuttering/DS01027/DSECTION=causes>.
Stuttering. (n.d.). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Web. 20 November 2013. <http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/stuttering.htm>.
