| STUTTERING: � About one percent of adults and four percent of children stutter. � We do not know why people stutter, but it is not a nervous or personality disorder. People who stutter are normal except they lack the ability to varying degrees to get words out fluently. It is known that stuttering runs in families, and research shows neurological components may be involved in the disorder. Stuttering usually starts between the ages of two and five. Boys are four times more likely than girls to stutter, a gender ratio seen in other developmental disorders. � Stuttering is a complex set of behaviors that interferes with normal, fluent speech. People who stutter may repeat syllables or �block� while speaking. There are as many different patterns of stuttering as there are people who stutter. � The degree to which people stutter varies widely. Some stutterers have more natural control over their speech than others do. The degree of stuttering will also vary within the individual. How much control they have will depend on the particular situation in which they find themselves, the difficulty of the words they wish to say, and how they feel at that moment. People who stutter universally report having �good days� and �bad days.� � Stuttering may look like an easy problem that can be solved with some simple advice, but for adults it is a chronic, life-long disorder. People who stutter can achieve more control over their speech, but total fluency is not a realistic goal for most adults. � Stutterers generally do not stutter when they sing, whisper, speak in chorus, or when they do not hear their own voice. There is no universally accepted explanation for these phenomena. |
| HOW TO REACT: � You might be tempted to finish sentences or fill in words for someone. Unless you know him well and have his permission, please do not do this. Your action could be taken as demeaning. And, if you guess the wrong word, the difficulties multiply. � Refrain from making remarks like: �Slow down,� �Take a breath,� or �Relax.� Such simplistic advice can be felt as patronizing and is not constructive. � Maintain normal eye contact and try not to look embarrassed or alarmed. Just wait patiently and naturally until he is finished. � Be aware that people who stutter usually have more trouble controlling their speech on the telephone. Saying �Hello� often presents a special problem. Please be extra patient in this situation. � Should you ask a person questions about his stuttering? This is a matter of judgment, stuttering should not be a taboo subject. If you have questions about it, he will probably appreciate your interest. It is to your mutual benefit that it is talked about openly. You should understand that some people who stutter will be sensitive about it, act accordingly. � A person�s stuttering sometimes makes it harder to understand what he is saying. If you do not understand what is said to you, do not be afraid to say, �I�m sorry, I didn�t understand what you just said.� No matter how much of a struggle it was for him to say it, this is preferable to your pretending you understood, or guessing what his communication was. � In general, let him know by your manner and actions that you are listening to what he is saying and not how he is saying it. Be yourself. Be a good listener. |
| When someone to whom you are talking is having trouble speaking fluently, he may have a stuttering problem. You will probably react appropriately by instinct, but if you are not sure what to do, you are not alone. Stuttering is often misunderstood and can cause the listener to feel anxious. If you keep the following in mind, however, the experience will be a more comfortable one for you and the person who stutters. |
| NOTES TO LISTENERS |
| SPEAK EASY inc. - Canada's Organization For People Who Stutter - presents: |
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