International Stuttering Awareness Day (Oct. 22)
THEME: GROWTH THROUGH SPEAKING
Why international stuttering awareness day is important
Stuttering is misunderstood
There are many myths surrounding stuttering and those who live with the condition. For example, contrary to what many think, its not caused by nervousness or shyness. ISAD educates the public about stuttering and diminishes the stigma.
It provides assistance
ISAD provides hope to people who stutter by showing them they are not alone and by providing them with resources to improve their speech. It also connects individuals with research and speech pathologists.
Its a community
The national stuttering association is a community of people who share their challenges and stories with each other.
Facts about stuttering
- Stuttering is a speech disorder that causes flow of speech to be broken up.
- About 5% of children (1 in 20) ages 2-5 will develop some stuttering during their childhood. Some may last for weeks or years.
- Stuttering is more common in boys than in girls. It also tends to persist into adulthood more often in boys than girls.
- More than 70million people worldwide are stutterers.
Stuttering is common when children are learning to speak and is an estimated five times more common in boys than girls. However, the majority of children grow out it. The speech disorder affects less than 1 percent of all adults. For some, however, the problem persists and requires some kind of professional help, such as speech therapy.
Common signs and symptoms associated with stuttering
- Problems starting a word, phrase, or sentence.
- Hesitation before certain sounds have to be uttered.
- Repeating a sound, word, or syllable
- Certain speech sounds may be prolonged.
- Speech may come out in spurts
- Words with certain sounds are substituted for others (circumlocution).
Also, when talking there may be rapid blinking, trembling lips, foot tapping, trembling jaw, the face and/or upper body tightens.
Treatment
Although there is currently no cure for stuttering, there are a variety of treatments available. The nature of the treatment will differ, based upon a person’s age, communication goals, and other factors. If you or your child stutters, it is important to work with a speech-language pathologist to determine the best treatment options.
For more information, you can login to our website @royalvictoriamedicalcentre.com or come down to our clinic at Royal Victoria Medical Centre to visit a doctor.
www.stutteringhelp.com
