On this day, organizations and
institutions conduct events on stuttering to raise awareness. Sea
green is used to mark International Stuttering Awareness Day. The color blue
has been associated with calmness and the color green
represents liberty, freedom and justice. The British Stammering
Association has encouraged people to change their Facebook or Twitter profile to sea green twibbon on 22
October to show their support for those who stutter.
People stutter
because they are nervous.
‘The theme for International Stuttering Awareness Day is “A World That Understands Stuttering.”’
Fact: People who stutter
may be nervous, but nervousness is not the cause
Myth 2: Stuttering
is a psychological disorder.
Fact: Emotional factors
often lead to stuttering, but stuttering is not a psychological condition
Myth 3: Stuttering
is caused by bad parenting
Fact: Stuttering is not
the result of bad parenting. A child can exacerbate
stuttering, but is not the cause.
Myth 4: Labeling a child as a stutterer results in chronic stuttering
Fact :Talking about
stuttering does not cause a child to stutter
Myth 5: People
who stutter are less intelligent
Fact: People who stutter
are usually smarter and capable of doing things than anyone else
Do's and
Don'ts of Stuttering for a Person who Stutters
Do's - Consult with your family physician who can help you overcome
stuttering
- Take a deep breath before starting a sentence
- Speak slowly. Let the words flow one after the other in a
rhythmic pattern
- Discuss with your speech therapist on
techniques of overcoming them and also identify the way you react to your disfluencies in speech
- Initially, practice speaking with your close friends and
relatives who understand and love you
- When getting introduced to new friends, relax and speak
- Practice speaking in front of the mirror;
this technique can help in overcoming the fear while giving a speech on
stage
- Join a support group for better results and improve your level
of confidence
Don'ts - Do
not be afraid of breaking sentences while talking to someone
- Do not force your words that you
find difficult to say
- Do
not keep thinking of changing words
- Practice
intermittent eye contacts and body language to keep the conversation
interactive
- Do
not worry, if others find out that you stutter or make mistakes while
talking.
- Do
not bother when a person criticizes you in front of others
Tips to Help People Overcome
Stuttering
- Maintain
eye contact with the speaker wait patiently till he/she speaks
- Praise their talents and encourage them
- Speak
slowly and wait until they feel comfortable
- Be
patient and allow them to finish on their own
- Use facial expressions and body
language to understand the speaker that you are
comfortable talking to her/him
- Follow a simple to do list to interact with people who stutter
What is Stuttering?
Stuttering is a common
fluency speech disorder that starts from childhood. A person
struggles to communicate with others due to prolonged or repeated speech,
sounds, syllables or words. It happens due to anxiety on the part of the
speaker about the way he/she speaks. Stuttering can be hampering and affects a
person's quality of life.
Stuttering may
differ according to persons and situations. The exact cause of stuttering is
unknown. There are three common
types of stuttering -
developmental stuttering,
neurogenic stuttering, and psychogenic stuttering. - Developmental stuttering may be hereditary and it most commonly
observed in young children while they are developing their language and
verbal skills.
- Neurogenic stuttering occurs after a stroke or any brain
injuries such as head trauma.
- Psychogenic stuttering may result from a traumatic emotional
experience or some psychological problems. Many people who stutter
carry a burden of personal feelings of frustration and anxiety.
Stuttering
diagnosis is usually performed by a speech-language pathologist (SLA) who is
trained to evaluate and treat children and adults with
speech and language disorder. Child's stuttering behaviors will be examined by SLP which help him to assess the impact of stuttering on the
child's life.
Speech therapy can treat stuttering in very young children. There are some relaxation
techniques which may help the people to overcome a stutter. General
relaxation can help keep the mind calm and relax.
Exercise is also recommended for people who stutter as
it helps the body produce "feel good" hormones that can help them
improve self-confidence and maintain good posture. Progressive relaxation is a
simple and effective technique that gives a better
relief for people with anxiety, high blood pressure and anxiety.
References :- International Stuttering October 22 - (http://www.isastutter.org/what-we-do/isad)
- International Stuttering Awareness Day - (http://www.stutteringhelp.org/content/international-stuttering-awareness-day)
- Common Myths about Stuttering - (http://www.westutter.org/who-we-help/myths-about-stuttering/)
- International Stammering Awareness Day: 22nd October - (https://www.stammering.org/get-involved/help-us-raise-awareness/international-stammering-awareness-day-22nd-october)
Source: Medindia
