Although researchers are gradually learning more about stuttering and its cause/s, there is still a lot that remains a mystery. With “the unknown” comes room for parents to try and fill in the gaps with their own guesses as to what caused their child to begin stuttering. One of the […]
Tricks of The Trade
Tricks of The Trade 7/10/20130 Comments “Trick” is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud.” So it makes sense why speech pathologists have used the word “tricks” (AKA secondary behaviors) to describe the behaviors a person who stutters (PWS) uses to […]
The 411 on “Easy Bouncing”
WHAT IS EASY BOUNCING? – Slow and relaxed repetitions done on purpose – There should be no tension associated with these repetitions WHY DOES IT WORK? – Decreases sensitivity and reactivity to stuttering (which in turn may reduce word avoidances and secondary behaviors like eye blinks, lip tension, etc.) – […]
Student Creates Public Opinion Survey to Promote Stuttering Awareness
Hi! My name is Zack and I have been participating in speech therapy on and off since I was 11 years old and now I am 16 years old. This is a public opinion survey to research how people feel and react to stuttering. Please answer the questions freely, as […]
The Dog Days of Summer- How Will They Impact Your Fluency?
Although we all look forward to the summer, June through August can bring with it some changes that impact the fluency of a person who stutters. Changes in routine, taking a prolonged break from speech therapy, and the stresses of a new environment and people (such as a new summer […]
The 411 on Cancellations
This is a speech tool I use with clients as they begin to gain the ability to monitor their own speech. Every child reaches this point at a different time, but I find that this often begins to happen around 7-8 years of age. Instead of modifying every phrase/sentence (as […]
You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks…Or Can You?
The answer is “yes you can!” Like biting your nails, changing your stuttering “habits” is NOT easy, but can be done. It’s about replacing old habits with new habits. The new habits may be the use of “getting on the sound” and stretching out of a block or repetition (pullouts) […]
The 411 on Easy Speech
Easy Speech (aka Turtle Talk or Stretching) is a technique I use with pre-school and early elementary children who do not yet have the awareness or control to use techniques specifically on disfluent words. Easy Speech can be shaped into more advanced techniques such as a cancellation or pull-outs.WHAT IS […]
Making Peace with the Phone
Whether or not you are a person who stutters, making and receiving telephone calls can be a source of anxiety. Whoever invented text messages definitely had people who stutter in mind. However, has text messages and social media sites helped us communicate more effortlessly, or have they created a way […]