Stuttering /Stammering -an approach

                                                                         

Stuttering

is a disorder in the rhythm of speech in which the person knows precisely what he or she wishes to say but at the same time may have difficulty saying it because of an involuntary repetition ,prolongation ,or cessation of sound

Stuttering usually begins at 2-4 yr of age and is seen more often in boys (4 boys :1 girl)

approximately 3-5% of preschool children stutter to some degree

Stuttering have 3 components
- involuntary repetitions
-lengthening of words
-arrests of syllables

Above 3 components may occur either alone or in combinations

Stuttering occurs due to improper synchronisation between two muscle groups namely -phonatory and articulatory groups

Also impaired timing between areas of brain involved in language preparation and execution can cause stuttering

stuttering - diagnostic criteria
one or more of the following
1. sound and syllable repetitions
2. sound prolongations
3.interjections
4.broken words (pauses within a word)
5.audible or silent blocking 6.circumlocutions (word substitutions to avoid problematic words )
7.words produced with an excess of physical tension
8.monosyllabic whole word repetitions

Treatment guidelines :

Never ever scold the child .praise him if he speaks without stuttering

tell him to speak in simple words then in a complicated phrases

therapy should be started in Pre school period . Speech pathologist should see the child

Speech therapy and behavioral feed back will improve the condition