Speaking out. People who stutter find ways to compensate.

Stutterer · 05-10-2004, 02:56 AM

Speaking out
People who stutter find ways to compensate

FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, April 25, 2004
By Rose Mary Reiz
rreiz@flintjournal.com, 810.766.6353

In graduate school, Julie Snyder had an assignment she'll never forget.

"We had to pretend to stutter," said Snyder, a speech pathologist and manager of Therapy Services for McLaren Regional Medical Center.

"For one week, we had to make phone calls, ask for help in stores and order pizzas, all while pretending to be disfluent."

Snyder already had empathy for those with speech problems. But the exercise made the issue personal.

"In a store, a salesperson would ask, Can I help you?' I'd start to answer, I ... I ... I..." and take a while to get the sentence out," Snyder said.

"They couldn't get away from me fast enough. Most of the time, they'd say, Let me check on that,' and never come back."

Some people, when Snyder struggled with words, tried to finish her sentences for her. Others simply walked away. Ordering a pizza by phone was a frustrating, humiliating experience.

"I'd start to speak, and they'd just hang up on me," she said. "I couldn't believe it. I had to call the same place seven times to get them to finally take my order. By that time, I was determined."

If a week of such treatment is discouraging, a lifetime of it can be devastating.

"People who stutter have often been made fun of all their lives," Snyder said. "As kids, they were teased and bullied. Some learned to isolate themselves. As adults, they might have low self-esteem or be depressed. They tend to settle for a lot less than they're capable of. I know of one man who was brilliant, but he settled for a job as a janitor because of his disfluency."

Stutterers often feel isolated, but they are far from alone. More than 3 million Americans suffer from stuttering. One out of every 30 children stutters, with onset usually between the ages of 2 and 4. About 75 percent of them outgrow the disorder. Stuttering affects four times as many men as women.

People who stutter may repeat syllables, prolong words or hesitate and "block" when trying to say certain sounds. Stutterers also may develop tics, eye-rolling, blinking or other secondary behaviors.

Just as nonstutterers have occasional problems getting their words out, stutterers often have periods of fluency. Many do not stutter when alone, when talking to a pet, when whispering, singing or shouting.

The cause of stuttering is not known, and most experts agree that there is no single cause. The disorder is believed to have strong genetic and neurological factors.

While most people know or have encountered a stutterer, few understand the affliction. Groups like the Stuttering Foundation of America stress that stuttering is not an emotional problem. It's not the fault of parents. Stutterers are not more nervous or fearful than anyone else, and they are just as smart.

Some of the world's most successful people were stutterers. Aristotle, Moses, Winston Churchill, King George VI and Marilyn Monroe all stuttered, as do James Earl Jones, Bill Walton, Mell Tillis, Carly Simon and Julia Roberts.

Stuttering made postgame interviews torture for Lester Hayes of the Los Angeles Raiders. "20/20" reporter John Stossel struggled for years with stuttering.

According to a National Stuttering Association survey, eight out of 10 adults who stutter said that stuttering interfered with their work performance. Nearly four out of 10 reported being denied a job or promotion because of stuttering. More than 80 percent said they avoided speaking situations.

A job interview is a stutterer's worst nightmare. Anxiety aggravates the problem, and the stutterer's speech during the interview is often much worse than it would ever be during the actual job.

Rick Bastarache, 43, knows the feeling. A former stutterer, he is all but free of the disorder -- until he has to impress someone.

"The only time I struggle now is when I have to talk to people in positions of authority, like maybe a group of physicians," said Bastarache, a physical therapist and manager of Therapy Services for McLaren Regional Rehab Center.

"If I can prepare a speech ahead of time, I'm fine. But if I'm put on the spot and the anxiety gets high, I'll start to say a word and then stop. It's like hitting a road block. The only way around it is to find a different word."

Bastarache is a husband and father of three with a successful career and loving family. It is hard to believe that stuttering once made his life miserable.

"I had problems all through school," he said. "There were certain sounds, like hard T's and D's and G's, that I'd get stuck on. Kids on the bus would tease me. They'd see me and say, Da, da, da, da. ...' I'd be embarrassed. I tried not to show it, but it did hurt."

Bastarache's family tried to help. So did speech therapists, who pulled him out of class (another embarrassment) for weekly speech lessons. Mostly, he coped by avoiding anything that had to do with public speaking.

"Standing up and talking terrified me," he said. "Reading out loud was horrible, because I had to say the words that were there; I couldn't substitute other words for the hard ones."

Well-meaning people often would tell Bastarache to slow down or start over. Others, impatient with waiting, finished his sentences for him.

"That was the worst," he said. "I'd rather be teased than have someone finish a sentence for me."

Like most stutterers, Bastarache would have given almost anything for an instant cure. Many of those responding to the National Stuttering Association's survey admitted having tried remedies including electronic devices, medication, psychotherapy, hypnosis, herbal treatments, acupuncture, chiropractic sessions and tongue surgery.

While some respondents reported success, the NSA warns people not to fall for practitioners who promise easy cures for the complex disorder.

Snyder agrees that "there's no magic bullet."

But that doesn't mean stuttering is untreatable. While some propose that stutterers should not seek treatment at all but accept their impediment without embarrassment and stammer openly, Snyder believes that help is available for those who want it.

"Some people do accept the disorder and charge forward," she said. "But I believe that everyone can gain fluency."

Snyder and other speech pathologists use a multi-directional, individual approach that includes speech education, stress management techniques, attitude adjustment and lots of vocal drill work.

If a client is motivated, willing to practice and courageous enough to confront words and situations that were formerly avoided, he can put new strategies to use with good results, Snyder said.

Many stutterers overcome the condition so well that speaking becomes the basis for their life's work. Winston Churchill could speak without stuttering only if he studied issues and prepared his remarks weeks in advance. His extra effort made him one of the world's greatest orators.

James Earl Jones was almost mute until high school, when he discovered he could read Shakespeare aloud alone. He practiced speaking, studied acting and has one of the most commanding voices in the acting industry.

Bastarache also has come a long way from the shy student who used sports as a way to excel in school without speaking.

He married his high school sweetheart, "who forgave my stuttering," and perfected speaking techniques that allow him to speak with confidence in his career.

Well, most of the time.

"I don't think you're ever cured," he said. "But you can learn to compensate quite well. Most of the time, I have no problem at all."

For more information, contact the Stuttering Foundation of America at (800) 992-9392 or visit their Web site at www.stutteringhelp.org.

***

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/f...4601143950.xml

YouWhat7 · 05-10-2004, 08:46 PM

'Winston Churchill could speak without stuttering only if he studied issues and prepared his remarks weeks in advance. His extra effort made him one of the world's greatest orators'

It's not even confirmed that Winnie did stutter. Where are you getting these 'facts' from?

velvet · 05-11-2004, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YouWhat7

It's not even confirmed that Winnie did stutter. Where are you getting these 'facts' from?

Didn't he state this in the beginning of the information?
You might wish to contact that person instead.

Quote:

Sunday, April 25, 2004
By Rose Mary Reiz
rreiz@flintjournal.com, 810.766.6353

05-10-2004, 02:56 AM	#1
Stutterer Stuttering Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: online Posts: 19	Speaking out. People who stutter find ways to compensate. Speaking out People who stutter find ways to compensate FLINT THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Sunday, April 25, 2004 By Rose Mary Reiz rreiz@flintjournal.com, 810.766.6353 In graduate school, Julie Snyder had an assignment she'll never forget. "We had to pretend to stutter," said Snyder, a speech pathologist and manager of Therapy Services for McLaren Regional Medical Center. "For one week, we had to make phone calls, ask for help in stores and order pizzas, all while pretending to be disfluent." Snyder already had empathy for those with speech problems. But the exercise made the issue personal. "In a store, a salesperson would ask, Can I help you?' I'd start to answer, I ... I ... I..." and take a while to get the sentence out," Snyder said. "They couldn't get away from me fast enough. Most of the time, they'd say, Let me check on that,' and never come back." Some people, when Snyder struggled with words, tried to finish her sentences for her. Others simply walked away. Ordering a pizza by phone was a frustrating, humiliating experience. "I'd start to speak, and they'd just hang up on me," she said. "I couldn't believe it. I had to call the same place seven times to get them to finally take my order. By that time, I was determined." If a week of such treatment is discouraging, a lifetime of it can be devastating. "People who stutter have often been made fun of all their lives," Snyder said. "As kids, they were teased and bullied. Some learned to isolate themselves. As adults, they might have low self-esteem or be depressed. They tend to settle for a lot less than they're capable of. I know of one man who was brilliant, but he settled for a job as a janitor because of his disfluency." Stutterers often feel isolated, but they are far from alone. More than 3 million Americans suffer from stuttering. One out of every 30 children stutters, with onset usually between the ages of 2 and 4. About 75 percent of them outgrow the disorder. Stuttering affects four times as many men as women. People who stutter may repeat syllables, prolong words or hesitate and "block" when trying to say certain sounds. Stutterers also may develop tics, eye-rolling, blinking or other secondary behaviors. Just as nonstutterers have occasional problems getting their words out, stutterers often have periods of fluency. Many do not stutter when alone, when talking to a pet, when whispering, singing or shouting. The cause of stuttering is not known, and most experts agree that there is no single cause. The disorder is believed to have strong genetic and neurological factors. While most people know or have encountered a stutterer, few understand the affliction. Groups like the Stuttering Foundation of America stress that stuttering is not an emotional problem. It's not the fault of parents. Stutterers are not more nervous or fearful than anyone else, and they are just as smart. Some of the world's most successful people were stutterers. Aristotle, Moses, Winston Churchill, King George VI and Marilyn Monroe all stuttered, as do James Earl Jones, Bill Walton, Mell Tillis, Carly Simon and Julia Roberts. Stuttering made postgame interviews torture for Lester Hayes of the Los Angeles Raiders. "20/20" reporter John Stossel struggled for years with stuttering. According to a National Stuttering Association survey, eight out of 10 adults who stutter said that stuttering interfered with their work performance. Nearly four out of 10 reported being denied a job or promotion because of stuttering. More than 80 percent said they avoided speaking situations. A job interview is a stutterer's worst nightmare. Anxiety aggravates the problem, and the stutterer's speech during the interview is often much worse than it would ever be during the actual job. Rick Bastarache, 43, knows the feeling. A former stutterer, he is all but free of the disorder -- until he has to impress someone. "The only time I struggle now is when I have to talk to people in positions of authority, like maybe a group of physicians," said Bastarache, a physical therapist and manager of Therapy Services for McLaren Regional Rehab Center. "If I can prepare a speech ahead of time, I'm fine. But if I'm put on the spot and the anxiety gets high, I'll start to say a word and then stop. It's like hitting a road block. The only way around it is to find a different word." Bastarache is a husband and father of three with a successful career and loving family. It is hard to believe that stuttering once made his life miserable. "I had problems all through school," he said. "There were certain sounds, like hard T's and D's and G's, that I'd get stuck on. Kids on the bus would tease me. They'd see me and say, Da, da, da, da. ...' I'd be embarrassed. I tried not to show it, but it did hurt." Bastarache's family tried to help. So did speech therapists, who pulled him out of class (another embarrassment) for weekly speech lessons. Mostly, he coped by avoiding anything that had to do with public speaking. "Standing up and talking terrified me," he said. "Reading out loud was horrible, because I had to say the words that were there; I couldn't substitute other words for the hard ones." Well-meaning people often would tell Bastarache to slow down or start over. Others, impatient with waiting, finished his sentences for him. "That was the worst," he said. "I'd rather be teased than have someone finish a sentence for me." Like most stutterers, Bastarache would have given almost anything for an instant cure. Many of those responding to the National Stuttering Association's survey admitted having tried remedies including electronic devices, medication, psychotherapy, hypnosis, herbal treatments, acupuncture, chiropractic sessions and tongue surgery. While some respondents reported success, the NSA warns people not to fall for practitioners who promise easy cures for the complex disorder. Snyder agrees that "there's no magic bullet." But that doesn't mean stuttering is untreatable. While some propose that stutterers should not seek treatment at all but accept their impediment without embarrassment and stammer openly, Snyder believes that help is available for those who want it. "Some people do accept the disorder and charge forward," she said. "But I believe that everyone can gain fluency." Snyder and other speech pathologists use a multi-directional, individual approach that includes speech education, stress management techniques, attitude adjustment and lots of vocal drill work. If a client is motivated, willing to practice and courageous enough to confront words and situations that were formerly avoided, he can put new strategies to use with good results, Snyder said. Many stutterers overcome the condition so well that speaking becomes the basis for their life's work. Winston Churchill could speak without stuttering only if he studied issues and prepared his remarks weeks in advance. His extra effort made him one of the world's greatest orators. James Earl Jones was almost mute until high school, when he discovered he could read Shakespeare aloud alone. He practiced speaking, studied acting and has one of the most commanding voices in the acting industry. Bastarache also has come a long way from the shy student who used sports as a way to excel in school without speaking. He married his high school sweetheart, "who forgave my stuttering," and perfected speaking techniques that allow him to speak with confidence in his career. Well, most of the time. "I don't think you're ever cured," he said. "But you can learn to compensate quite well. Most of the time, I have no problem at all." For more information, contact the Stuttering Foundation of America at (800) 992-9392 or visit their Web site at www.stutteringhelp.org. *** http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/f...4601143950.xml

05-10-2004, 08:46 PM	#2
YouWhat7 Stuttering Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 5	YouWhat? 'Winston Churchill could speak without stuttering only if he studied issues and prepared his remarks weeks in advance. His extra effort made him one of the world's greatest orators' It's not even confirmed that Winnie did stutter. Where are you getting these 'facts' from?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)