International Stuttering Awareness Day - October 22
International Stuttering Awareness Day is observed annually on October 22. Stuttering is a communication disorder in which repetitions — or abnormal stoppages of sounds and syllables — break the flow of speech. There may also be unusual facial and body movements associated with speaking. International Stuttering Awareness Day shines a helpful spotlight on stutterers and educates the public about the causes. Stuttering is a communication disorder involving disruptions, or disfluencies, in a person’s speech, but there are nearly as many ways to stutter as there are people who stutter.
History of International Stuttering Awareness Day
Established in 1998, International Stuttering Awareness Day brings attention to the millions of people around the world living with this specific communication disorder. Usually, when people refer to stuttering, they imagine the repetition of a specific word; however, stuttering comes in many other forms, including the elongation of a vowel or syllable. This condition is also variable, meaning that the severity of the stutter is inconsistent. Some days a person might only stutter a few times while others the stutter may affect most of their interactions.
Stuttering has been around longer than people have been able to record their interactions involving the condition, but a lack of understanding for the disorder resulted in years of unfair treatment. Passages in the Bible are written to indicate that Moses spoke with a stammer. Claudius, who would later become a Roman emperor, was originally shunned and excluded from public office because people believed that stuttering was a sign of unintelligence.
In 19 century Europe, surgery was recommended for people impacted by speech disorders. Surgeons would use scissors to remove a triangular wedge from the back of the tongue, as well as cutting nerves and muscles in the neck and lips. Other surgeons practiced shorting the uvula or removing the tonsils. These practices were later abandoned as patients were bleeding to death, and those who survived still had their stutter.
Though it is now understood that stuttering is a neurological disorder that can be developmental (obtained as a child) or acquired (developed as an adult due to trauma or drug abuse), there is still an air of stigma that follows those who live with it. This International Stuttering Awareness Day, take the time to learn about the 1% of humanity affected and what you can do to help others stay educated on the condition.
Why International Stuttering Awareness Day is Important
Stuttering is misunderstood
There are many myths surrounding stuttering and those who live with the condition. For example, contrary to what many think, it's not caused by nervousness or shyness. International Stuttering Awareness Day educates the public about stuttering and thereby diminishes the stigma.
It provides assistance
International Stuttering Awareness Day provides hope to people who stutter by showing them they're not alone and by providing them with resources to improve their speech. It connects individuals with research and speech pathologists.
It's a community
The National Stuttering Association is a community of people who share their challenges and stories with each other. By attending events and workshops, often delivered through local chapters, those who stutter can meet and learn from others with similar stories.
Myths about Stuttering
Nervousness
Though it may sound like a person is falling over their words, being nervous is not the main cause of stuttering. Instead of telling people who stutter to take a deep breath, patiently wait for them to get to the end of their sentence without cutting them off.
Shyness
Shyness may cause stutterers to speak less, but it is not an underlying cause of stuttering. People who stutter might be afraid of judgment, so show them they can trust you by giving them the same amount of attention you would to those who don't stutter.
It's just a habit
Stuttering is a neurological condition, not a habit that can be easily broken. Though people who stutter may enroll in speech therapy classes, these classes are more so to build confidence in their speech rather than promise to cure the condition.
Lack of intelligence
Lots of smart people have stutters. Although stuttering is linked to a specific area of the brain, it doesn't affect a person's intelligence.
Bad parents
While bad parenting might make a child's stuttering worse, it is not the root cause of stuttering. However, if you believe a child is in a dangerous situation, don't hesitate to contact the police.
Understanding Stuttering
Stuttering is a communication disorder involving disruptions, or “disfluencies,” in a person’s speech. The word “stuttering” can be used to refer either to the specific speech disfluencies commonly produced by people who stutter or to the overall communication difficulty that people who stutter may experience.
In addition to producing disfluencies, people who stutter often experience physical tension and struggle in their speech muscles, as well as embarrassment, anxiety, and fear about speaking. Together, these symptoms can make it very difficult for people who stutter to speak, and this makes it difficult for them to communicate effectively with others. There are as many different patterns of stuttering as there are people who stutter, and many different degrees of stuttering, from mild to severe.
How Common Is Stuttering?
It has been estimated that about one percent of the adult population stutters. This would amount to almost three million people who stutter in the United States alone. Stuttering is about three or four times more common in males than females.
What Causes Stuttering?
The precise causes of stuttering are still unknown, but most researchers now consider stuttering to involve differences in brain activity that interfere with the production of speech. In some people, the tendency to stutter may be inherited. Although the interference with speech is sometimes triggered by emotional or situational factors, stuttering is basically neurological and physiological – not psychological – in nature. In all other respects, persons who stutter are perfectly normal.
The most common type of stuttering (sometimes called developmental stuttering) usually develops of its own accord in childhood, most often between ages two and eight (although in rare cases it may begin much later). Roughly 4 to 5 percent of people experience stuttering at some time during their childhood. While the majority become fluent by the time they reach adulthood, stuttering may continue to be a chronic, persistent problem for other people who stutter.
Can Stuttering Be Cured?
Despite scientific breakthroughs in our knowledge about stuttering, there is still no reliable, research-backed “cure” that works consistently, over time, and for all people who stutter.
Many individuals benefit from various forms of speech therapy and from support groups like the National Stuttering Association. Meanwhile, researchers are experimenting with electronic devices, pharmaceuticals, and other still-unproven techniques and alternative treatments.
It’s unrealistic to expect that any treatment will make stuttering completely disappear. Despite common myths, there is no therapy, device, or drug that is effective all the time or for all people who stutter. Methods that appear to benefit some individuals may not work for others, and relapses are common. Controlling stuttering is a long-term project that begins with acceptance of one’s stuttering and requires considerable patience and understanding.
Stuttering Is Variable
The severity of stuttering varies widely among people. It may also vary in the same individual from day to day and depending on the speaking situation. Saying one’s name and speaking to authority figures may be particularly difficult. For some people, fatigue, stress, and time pressure can increase their tendency to stutter. When people who stutter feel compelled to hide their stuttering, it generally becomes worse.
Patterns of stuttering behavior also vary. People who stutter may experience repetitions (D-d-d-dog), prolongations (Mmmmmmilk), or blocks (an absence of sound), or can experience some combination of these sounds. Some who stutter will also try to avoid stuttering by pausing before words, substituting words, and interjecting phrases such as “you know,” “well actually,” “um,” etc., whenever they anticipate a moment of stuttering. As a result, the person may create the false impression of being hesitant, uncertain, or confused.
A job interview may be the single most difficult speaking situation a person who stutters will ever encounter. Stuttering is likely to be at its worst. Therefore, the degree of stuttering at the interview should not be used to predict how the person will actually speak on the job.
What Help Is Available?
Although there is no simple cure for stuttering, people who stutter can learn to speak more easily, feel better about themselves and their speaking ability, and communicate more effectively.
Because stuttering typically starts between the ages of 2½ and 5, early intervention is the most effective way to help children overcome their speaking difficulties. Therefore, it is important for parents and pediatricians to seek an evaluation by a qualified speech-language pathologist as soon as they become concerned about a child’s stuttering.
School-age children, adolescents, and adults can also benefit from treatment. For these individuals, treatment is designed to help them learn to manage their stuttering so it is less disruptive to their communication. Treatment can also increase their speech fluency as appropriate, and improve their self-esteem and their self-confidence so they can communicate more freely and effectively.
Support Groups for People Who Stutter
The National Stuttering Association provides over 200 support groups for adults, kids, families, and teens. During these monthly meetings, conversation flows freely without fear or embarrassment and no one feels alone. It’s another way to build self-confidence, practice speaking in a safe environment, and explore new ways to cope with stuttering. Find the NSA Chapter nearest you.
Observing International Stuttering Awareness Day
Get educated
Stutterers suffer from the social stigma that can lead to bullying in children and ostracism in adults. Through the resources provided by International Stuttering Awareness Day, individuals and families can learn more about how to support those with a stutter and decrease the stigma that surrounds it.
Attend the online conference
Each year, the International Stuttering Association hosts an online event to mark International Stuttering Awareness Day. The public is free to participate in the online event, which focuses on a different theme every year and brings together individuals from around the world.
Get involved
If you have a friend or family member who stutters you can get involved by helping to educate those they may come into contact with. For example, the National Stuttering Association provides educational materials that parents of stutterers can use to aid teachers.
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/international-stuttering-awareness-day/
https://westutter.org/what-is-stuttering/international-stuttering-awareness-day/
https://westutter.org/what-is-stuttering/
https://westutter.org/chapters/