HOW A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY SUPPORT GROUP HELPS STAMMERERS
All too often, the acquisition of speech is taken for granted and most people do not consider how conversation enriches our lives, whether it is chatting with friends, dealing with situations at work or even grumbling about the weather.However for people who have a stammer, speech may become a source of frustration and even resentment.There are around 495,000 adults who have a stammer across the country, and some of them find support groups can be a great help.  One such group is run by speech and language therapists from the Speech and Language Therapy Service in Tyneside, and the link below outlines the experiences of two people with a stammer who attend the group, Matthew and Clare.
Stammering generally starts between the ages of two and five but can develop later.  Children who stammer at an early age tend to recover spontaneously – often their speech is unable to keep up with the constant flow of thoughts as they excitedly discover the world.  However the chances of recovery decrease as the child gets older.  Therefore it is always worth getting the opinion of a speech and language therapist.  It may be that some general advice on handling the stammer is all that is needed, or perhaps some individual sessions of speech and language therapy would be helpful.   There are also specific courses and approaches for dealing with childhood stammering and again a speech and language therapist can give personalised advice.Speech and language therapy can help adults with a stammer to make improvements in their speech, although complete recovery in adulthood is unusual.
Often a stammer can return at times of stress or anxiety, even if it is controlled most of the time.Speech and language therapy may include one to one sessions or group work.  Often courses will be held over a number of weeks where people who want to minimise their stammer will work together on various coping strategies, at the same time supporting each other.  Speech and language therapy can include the following:CounsellingPersonal construct psychology (PCP)Modification techniquesRelaxationAnxiety controlSocial skills trainingThere are also other programmes which help people overcome their stammer, eg the Mcguire programme
The links below give further information:
If you would like to dicuss how speech and langauge therapy may help improve a stammer, please contact us.
Jane Gregory Specialist Speech and Language Therapist April 2009
