Essential Facts About Stuttering Therapy Tucson

By Enid Hinton


Stuttering is also known as stammering and is a disorder which involves frequent and considerable problems with flow of speech and fluency. People with this condition know what they would like to say but will find it difficult saying it. For instance, they could prolong or repeat a word or phrase. It is common in young children as part of their learning to speak. They will however over time outgrow it. For people considering stuttering therapy Tucson offers various options.

Children or adults who stutter will benefit from such treatments as speech therapy, psychological counseling or the use of electronic devices. After a comprehensive examination, speech pathologists will make a decision of the best form of treatment for the individual. There are certain things that are considered as part of preparation before the appointment with the doctor. The doctors will normally require personal information such as the time in which the condition started. They will also need to know how the person has been affected by the condition and any current problems experienced.

If possible, a recording of an episode of stuttering should be made. Any medications the person is currently taking will need to be known. It is also during the meeting with the doctor that the speech pathologist will clarify any points or uncertainties the individual may have. The doctor will have questions too, such as if there is anything that increases the stuttering, if anything makes it worse or if anyone in the family also has the condition.

There are various approaches to treat those affected. Given the varying individual needs, the method or combination of methods used may be varied. In controlled fluency, the person is taught how to slow down their speech and learn to notice whenever they are stuttering. During the beginning of the therapy, one may speak deliberately and slowly. Over time however, the speech becomes more natural.

The number of electronic devices available will differ. With the use of one of these devices, it will give distorted speech when one is unable to slow down their speech during delayed auditory feedback. For other devices, the speech of the person is mimicked such that they sound like they are speaking uniformly with another person. Some devices are worn daily as one goes through their activities.

Cognitive behavioral therapy helps an individual to learn ways of identifying and making changes his thinking. Some ways of thinking make the stammering to be worse. Individuals are also helped to deal with underlying stress, anxiety or self-esteem. In children, parental support will be instrumental. It is parents who spend more time with their children at home and thus they have greater responsibility of helping them with the treatment process.

Parents of children who stutter could benefit from various tips. It is important to listen attentively to them while maintaining eye contact when they speak. Children should not be helped to complete words- they should be left to complete them individually.

There should be moments when the children are spoken to without being distracted. This is best done at meal times. One should speak to the child in an unhurried manner. This makes them to do the same, minimizing their stuttering. Attention should never be drawn to their stuttering.




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