4 things you should know about stuttering

by Analicia Lucas, SLP
Analicia Lucas provides pediatric and adult speech therapy services in San Diego.

 

1) How should I talk to a person who stutters?

 

Many people think that saying “slow down,” “take a deep breath,” “don’t be nervous,” or “just say what you want to say” will help a person who stutters. Of course, well-meaning friends and family members are just trying to help. It can be hard for them to know the best way to respond when they hear stuttering. But how helpful are these suggestions in the middle of a conversation? It turns out that we should be doing just the opposite and simply give the person who stutters time to finish their thought.

 

People with fluency difficulties are usually aware of their stutter once they are older than 4 or 5. They know that speaking fluently is much more difficult for them than it is for other people. When we try to offer solutions in the middle of a conversation, the person who stutters may feel more time pressure, try to finish their sentence as quickly as possible, and stutter longer than they would have. In general, people who stutter will stutter less around listeners who give them time to talk with no interruptions. When the pressure is taken off, they can get their message across much more efficiently.

 

2) What causes stuttering?

 

About 1% of the world’s population stutters. The exact cause of stuttering is not known for sure, but there are some factors that place a person at risk for stuttering:

• Genetics: a person is more likely to stutter if they have family members who stutter.
• Atypical development: those with a language or other developmental delay are more likely to stutter.
• People who stutter have also been seen to have neurological differences in the way they process language.
• Men are about 4 times more likely to stutter than women.
• People from families with a high-paced lifestyle are more at risk for stuttering.
• It is important to not that stuttering is NOT caused by psychological or emotional problems, although this is a popular myth.

 

3) What can speech therapy do to help?

 

There is no overnight cure for stuttering, but speech therapy can help people to greatly reduce their stuttering and be in better control of their speech. A variety of techniques are used to help a person become aware of their muscle tension, breathing, and any secondary behaviors (such as moving their head or arm) as they speak. They build body awareness to learn how to start a word with less tension. More relaxed muscles and more airflow can be used with different types of consonants and vowels.

 

I like to help my patients practice their new techniques in words, sentences, and finally, in conversation. Practicing a good rate of speech and keeping a steady pace throughout a sentence is also very helpful and can be carried over to everyday situations.

 

Finally, therapy often requires some counseling. Research has shown that those who are accepting of their stutter and have positive feelings about speaking have better outcomes than those who describe their stutter in negative terms, such as something they “hate” or “dread.” It is important for people who stutter to feel confident and in control so that they can improve their speech skills.

 

4) When should I seek speech therapy?

 

If you are concerned about your own fluency, it is never too late to begin therapy. I have worked with clients well into their 70s as well as children who began to stutter at age 2.  With the right mindset and support, I have seen people of all ages make progress. Some people also may need a speech therapy session every few months for maintenance of their skills, even if they completed a course of intensive therapy.

 

If you are concerned about your child’s fluency, it is best to see a speech therapist as soon as possible. It is important to learn how you can help your child be a confident speaker by taking pressure off of communication situations. Young children (age 4 and under) may not be as aware of their stutter, so therapy is more geared toward reducing communication demands. That means not asking the child a lot of questions, giving them time to speak, and modeling speech at a slow, steady rate. Older children who are aware of their stutter can start to practice fluency techniques and to build more body awareness.

 

NOTE: Around 5% of all children will go through some period of time in which they stutter. For some children, especially those who begin stuttering before age 3½, their fluency may return. In fact, among children who stutter, 74% will recover naturally without intervention. However, if stuttering lingers more than 6 months, it is likely to persist and therapy is more urgently recommended.
Contact Lake Murray Speech & Language for a screening or evaluation today!

Hello! My name is Analicia Lucas. I’m a certified speech-language pathologist in San Diego. I’m the owner of Lake Murray Speech & Language, a private practice that provides in-office speech therapy as well as home visits. I graduated from Baylor University for my undergraduate and Gallaudet University for graduate school.  I strive to help each person I work with reach their full potential and I believe speech therapy should be engaging, empowering, and fun.  When I’m not working with clients, I enjoy cooking, reading, singing, playing piano, and spending time with my family.