stuttering
TRANSCRIPT
Stuttering
By: Grace M. Morrison
What is stuttering exactly? "Stuttering is a communication disorder characterized by
excessive involuntary disruptions in the smooth and
rhythmic flow of speech, particularly when such disruptions
consist of repetitions or prolongations of a sound or
syllable, and when they are accompanied by emotions such
as fear and anxiety, and behaviors such as avoidance and
struggle." (Hood)
Different Forms of the
DisabilitySome examples of stuttering: Part-word repetition: “W- W- W- Where are you going?" (The person is having
difficulty moving from the "w" in "where" to the remaining sounds in the word. On
the fourth attempt, he successfully completes the word.)
Sound Prolongation: “SSSS ave me a seat." (The person is having difficulty
moving from the "s" in "save" to the remaining sounds in the word. He continues
to say the "s" sound until he is able to complete the word.)
Interjections: “I'll meet you - um um you know like - around six o'clock." (A
series of interjections: The person expects to have difficulty smoothly joining the
word "you" with the word "around." In response to the anticipated difficulty, he
produces several interjections until he is able to say the word "around" smoothly.)
Facts about people who
stutter Over three million Americans stutter.
Stuttering affects four times as many
males as females.
People who stutter are as intelligent and
well-adjusted as non-stutterers.
People who stutter are self-conscious
about their stuttering and often let the
disability determine the vocation they
choose.
There are no instant miracle cures for
stuttering. Therapy is not an overnight
process.
Some 25% of ALL children go through a
stage of development during which they
stutter
Stuttering becomes an increasingly
formidable problem in the teen years
as dating and social interaction begin.
A qualified speech pathologist can
help not only children but also
teenagers, young adults and even
older adults make significant progress
toward fluency.
Predicting Early SignsThere are several factors that
may cause an individual to
be predisposed to
stuttering.
These include...
A family history of stuttering
Delayed speech development
that has continued for 6
months or longer
Presence of other speech or
language disorders
Strong fears or concerns
about stuttering on the part of
the child or the family
The Cause of StutteringMost brain scan studies have found no
differences between stutterers’ and non-
stutterers’ brain activity during silent rest
and during fluent speech. But during
stuttering, cerebral activity changes
dramatically. Changes include:
Left-hemisphere areas active during normal
speech become less active, and areas in
the right hemisphere not normally active
during speech become active.
Underactivity in the central auditory
processing area.
Overactivity in the speech motor control
area.
Solutions Speech Therapy: Most children who develop a stutter grow
out of the condition by adolescence. The 20% of individuals who
carry the disability into adulthood usually undergo speech
therapy with a licensed speech pathologist. Overtime these
therapy sessions are 75% effective in “curing” the problem,
though patients may experience the occasional disfluency.
Altered Auditory Feedback
The Speech Easy device is a small, in-ear device designed to provide
fluent speech to those who stutter by providing altered auditory
feedback.
By hearing their altered sound of their own voice, the listener experiences
improved fluency. This is done by:
Hearing your vocal fold vibration (phonation) without hearing the articulation of your lips, jaw,
and tongue.
Hearing a synthesized sound mimicking your phonation (masking auditory feedback, or MAF).
Hearing your voice delayed a fraction of a second (delayed auditory feedback, or DAF).
Hearing your voice shifted higher or lower in pitch (frequency-shifted auditory feedback, or FAF).
Emotional Effects of
StutteringChildren and adults are effected by and cope with stuttering across a wide
spectrum. The most common emotional side effects of this disability are:
Teasing
Anxiety/Fear of Speaking
Withdrawal of Social Gatherings
Avoidance of Participation in the Classroom
Circumlocution: pretending to forget what they wanted to say, or declining to
speak
Tips for TeachersCalling on Students who Stutter
As you are asking questions in the classroom, you can do certain things to make it
easier for a child who stutters.
Until the student adjusts to the class, ask him questions that can be answered with
relatively few words.
If every child is going to be asked a question, call on the child who stutters fairly
early. Tension and worry can build up the longer he has to wait his turn.
Assure the whole class that they will have as much time as they need to answer
questions, and you are interested in having them take time and think through their
answers, not just answer quickly.
Tips for Teachers Cont'd.Reading aloud in class:
Most children who stutter are fluent when reading in unison with
someone else. Rather than not calling on the child who stutters, let him
have his turn with one of the other children. Let the whole class read in
pairs sometimes so that the child who stutters doesn't feel "special."
Gradually he may become more confident and be able to manage
reading out loud on his own.
References:
"Stuttering." National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
[NIDCD]. 7 June 2010. Web. 01 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/stutter.html>.
"Teachers." Stuttering Foundation of America. 15 Feb. 2008. Web. 01 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.stuttersfa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=10>.
"Stuttering." 23 Sept. 2009. Web. 01 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/stuttering.htm>.
"Speecheasy." East Carolina University. 14 May 2010. Web. 01 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/csd/speecheasy.cfm>.