Stuttering is one type of speech disorder that causes a person to interrupt, repeat, or prolong syllables, sounds, or words while speaking. More than 3 million adults and children in the United States are affected by this speech condition.
When you have a stammering problem, you know what you want to say but it’s extremely hard to get the words out fluently. You might be repeating the same words over and over again. You might also get stuck on some specific syllables.
Even though stammering can affect people of all ages, it’s most visible amongst children ages 2 to 6. This is known as development stuttering. However, 75% of children overcome this condition as they age.
If specific health complications such as brain injury or stroke are responsible for stuttering, it will be known as neurosurgical stuttering. There is a rare type of stuttering known as psychogenic stuttering, which is connected to emotional trauma.
How Stuttering Can Be Treated?
Treatment for stuttering is dependent on the communication goals as well as the age of the person. The Functional Speech Therapy Co. does evaluation regarding the causes of stuttering for kids and they will come up with therapies that will work effectively for your child. Here are some of the most effective therapies:
- Treatment for Children: When you contact a professional for early treatment, you will be able to prevent long-term stuttering. A guardian or parent can also help their child by communicating patiently and listening without interrupting. Make sure you’re also checking on their feelings and progress.
- Medications: Even though there are no FDA-certified medications available on the market, you can still consider some other specific medications. But make sure they aren’t responsible for causing side effects.
- Therapy: Relaxation techniques, breathing techniques, and speaking slowly will also help you address anxiety. This method is super effective for both kids and adults.
As per Healthline, researchers are implementing various methods to understand the root causes of stammering through genetic testing and brain images. Here are some great tips to reduce stammering.
Make Sure You Are Slowing Down
One of the best ways to address stuttering is by speaking slowly. If you rush to complete a sentence, you will stammer. This is why you need to avoid speeding up your speech. Make sure you take a few deep breaths and speak as slowly as possible. Let other people know you’re trying your best and their patience will be very much appreciated.
Practice
This is another great method you need to remember while addressing stammering. Consider contacting close family members and friends to determine if they can sit and talk with you patiently. You need to choose a safe environment where you can practice your speech. This way you will become more satisfied and confident with yourself by noticing the improvement in your speech.
You can also join a self-help group with other people suffering from the stammering problem. You will be able to learn the techniques that worked for them while speaking in public.
Conclusion
These are effective ways to stop stuttering. Make sure you let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.