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Home › Articles › Speech/Language Issues › Early Interventions

Early Interventions

Hope and Support
for Those Who Stutter

By Teri Brown

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According to ASI, the primary physical feature of stuttering is an intermittent and involuntary tightening of the vocal cords due to misfired signals from the brain.

"What confuses so many people about stuttering is that, unlike blindness, it doesn't happen all of the time," says Montgomery. "And it appears to happen more when someone is nervous or anxious, so therefore most assume it is caused by emotions of some sort. While emotions can influence stuttering ... psychological factors are not the cause."

Treatment for Stuttering
Stuttering can be prevented, and even cured, if it is treated early in young children. "Some of the most important and innovative work now being done in stuttering is early intervention," says Montgomery. "The sooner a child receives treatment the shorter the treatment time and the greater the likelihood for lasting gains in fluency. It is cost effective, in both financial and emotional terms. A lifetime of potential shame and debilitation can be prevented."

According to Montgomery, traditional treatment most often focused on either the physical aspect, teaching fluency management skills or on the psychological aspects. She says a comprehensive treatment works best.

"Experts from around the world, including those of us here at the American Institute, agree that stuttering is a complex, multidimensional disorder that demands a multifaceted approach, one that works with both the physical and psychological manifestations of stuttering," says Montgomery. "Our treatment programs for adults, teens and older children include these many dimensions: physical speech and voice treatment to effectively manage and improve speech fluency, work toward reducing or eliminating fear and avoidance, a strengthening in confidence and self-esteem and the development of a new attitude."

The NSA also believes it's important to build a support system that includes outreach to spouses, families and friends through counseling and education.

Stuttering Support
Madison Garcia remembers having trouble getting certain sounds out when she was a very young child and experienced several embarrassing incidents growing up because of her stuttering. Now a college student at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., Garcia spearheaded the effort to start a chapter of the NSA in her area.

"I did not view my speech as a problem at a very young age, and I do not remember ever being truly concerned about it," says Garcia. "But I have also always been a rather mild and covert stutterer, with my speech only being disfluent in situations which are universally difficult for people who stutter. I consistently struggled with my speech on the telephone, occasionally when ordering food in a restaurant, reading out loud in class and, in my later years, when saying my name."

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