Research on Children Who Stutter: Situation Should Not Be Ignored

Parents who notice their young child beginning to stutter should seek help right away; and help is available at the [Name] Public Library in [City], [State].

In the past, experts incorrectly believed that paying attention to a child’s stuttering would exacerbate the situation. It was even feared that offering the child therapy "would arouse the child’s awareness and cause more stuttering," said Ehud Yairi, speech-language pathologist and researcher at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Tel-Aviv University.

However, research by Yairi published in the April issue of the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research reveals that all children may be aware of the differences between fluent speech and stuttering as early as age three, and that they often display a social preference for fluent-speaking children by the time they are four years old.

"These findings should provide support to the important idea that we should shift from a 'hands-off' approach to more direct therapy techniques, and even more so with school-age children" added Barry Guitar, Ph.D., of University of Vermont.

"Any time parents are concerned about a child's fluency," notes Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation of America, "they should educate themselves about the disorder and the many ways they can work to prevent stuttering from becoming a chronic problem."

A new book, If Your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents, also available in Spanish, answers questions that parents and teachers often have. Written by leading experts, it describes the difference between normal disfluencies and stuttering and gives tips for parents of ways to help their child immediately.

For a copy, parents, teachers and others may contact the Stuttering Foundation of America, P.O. Box 11749, Memphis, TN 38111-0749; 800-992-9392; e-mail info@stutteringhelp.org; or visit www.stutteringhelp.org. The nonprofit foundation also offers many books and DVDs on stuttering.

Note to reporters: 7 Tips for Talking With Your Child can be used as an accompanying sidebar. For a complimentary media copy, call (202) 686-4494 or email info@stutteringhelp.org.

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

John Melendez

He is a talented musician, actor, and comedian. Listen to a podcast.

Lewis Carroll

The recent Disney version of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice in Wonderland, garnered a great deal of media hype. Even though the mainstream media has not made mention that Carroll was a person who stuttered, his family history gives credence to the discovery of the genetic link to stuttering. Carroll was born to parents who were first cousins; almost all of their eleven children, three girls and seven boys, struggled with stuttering past childhood.

Carly Simon

Carly Simon began stuttering severely when she was eight years old.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.