The disorders of speech - stuttering

Stuttering is disorders of speech, which appears in the interrupted speech and

curtailed the words.

Ph. D. Ardita A. Devolli,

Speech – Language Therapist
Tel. O44 123 449

Speech is the main means of communication between people. Through words, spoken
or written, people express their thoughts and feelings. Some of these disorders are so
small that laic no records, but there are also such that the attention of listeners put off by
the contents of the message in the form of her. So the basic goal of speaking - monitoring
of information - is lost or damaged completely.

Most of the disorders of speech have origin in early childhood, preschool age. With the
children going to school, especially in the first grades of primary school, the majority of
them improve the way of speech, in other words the more or less equal to the speech of
other children and speaking with the main example - the teachers.

However, a number of children fail to improve his diction. Over time, mistakes
establish, while some of them, as for example stuttering, vary drastically and most
negative of such children.

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 Stuttering is nonstandard speaking, which is expressed in the form of repeat sounds,
check, pause and setting unnecessary sounds during speech. Stuttering usually followed
by anxiety, fear of speaking, and exit from situations of speech, visual departure from
contacts with interlocutor with uncontrolled movements of extremities and head, with
irregular breathing during speaking, acceleration of the pace of the heart, etc.

During early childhood, the children are not aware that their speech deviates from the
coeval and speaking in general by the phrasing of the district. Therefore, this type of
stuttering called primary stuttering. However, unfortunately, over time, especially under
the influence of negative environment, the child begins to be clear that his speech differs
from the others.

To dominate stuttering, child of school age, especially the adults, not using the usual
ways of speaking and behaving by the fingers and mimics. These efforts not only reduce
the degree of stuttering, but raise it to the extent-begotten laic can even notice. This entire
phenomenon leads to secondary stuttering, which accompany all the negative
characteristics mentioned above.

Regarding etiology (origin) of stuttering, opinions of scientists dealing with this area
are different. Some scientists think that it originally organic because usually appear in the
preschool age, most often appear to be girls than boys. Is associated with cerebral
domination (or brain). There are primes in family, associated with delayed speech and
those situations where the individual perceives as difficult.

Meanwhile, other scientists have argued that stuttering may be caused by excessive
limitation or as a result of extremely high demand of parents to their children. In other
words, there are parents who are too anxious, showing a perfectionism and excessive fear
of speaking child. This fear of the parents then the child runs, creating in this way the real
mischief of his phrasing.

Results of research with elementary school of Albanian students of Kosovo, testified at

the prewar period, show the existence of 3% of the population with the diagnosis of
stuttering. The fight that took place in Kosovo has made the number of people who stutter
to receive alarming dimensions, so we can talk about a higher percentage of these persons
now in the postwar period.

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 A number of states that parents considered their children stutter just because of the
trauma experienced during the war. In such cases attacked is not only verbal
communication of the individual, but his whole personality. The treatment and
rehabilitation of these children lasts more than the other does.

Important recommendations regarding stuttering

These recommendations and reviews should have the parents of the child which,
again, hesitant and stop speaking:

• Repetition and discontinuation usually appear in the phase of the development of

speech (at age 3-5 years).

• Avoidance talking about changes in speaking of the child when he is present. If he

asks the people, then it is given concrete answer. However, the longer the child is
unaware of such changes, the greater are the chances of his own speech to be the
regular.

• It is necessary that the child feels safe being surrounded by the love of parents and
the district. Some adults are so irresponsible that it can cause a child to uncertainty
and hesitancy in speaking.

• Keep calm attitude during the hearing and talking with your child. In this way, he
will be quieter, so that will reduce uncertainty and reluctance to talk to him.

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• During the conversations, notice same as with adults and children. Listen to what
they say and not respond in a way to move the head in the opposite direction or to
pay attention to other object or person.

• Be patient and pay attention to child as long as it needs to say what they want. Do
not express disappointment (boredom) because of difficulties during his speech. Do
not complete words and not repeat his words, unless this is necessary (general
crisis).

• Never ask your child that he speak more slowly, to think before he speak, to putting
your’s word during conversation, to change intonation or say to take deep breath
before he begin to speak. Adults should speak slowly and calmly, because children
learn by example. For this reason, techniques used to prevent stuttering sometimes
can cause deadlock even bigger in speaking of the stuttering child.

• Never ask your child to stop his speech and repeat it part because of the difficulty in
speaking. Application could produce a feeling of defeat and reinforce fear from
new situations of speaking.

• Develop sense of self to children and the importance of family as well as in broad.
Opportunities exist for the home and in school. It is important that the child

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 successfully harvest and receive praise. Important is the overall functioning of the
child.

• Discover and develop the natural talents of the child. This will help in achieving the
confidence and pride to some successes. Enable this responsible role (outside the
scope of speech) in which he could show responsibility and his success.

• The less insulting and emotionally heated scene better. Background of family and
happiness are prerequisites for normal speech.

• Encourage recreation. Free Activities such as sports, games, hobby, membership in

any club, are necessary for physical and psychological health of the child.

• Try to have good and human relations with the child. This will help it to adapt more
easily by children of different social, economic, racial and religious backgrounds.

• As important is to avoid standard (normal) extremely high success, so it is

important also that you are not very compatible, because that both are harmful.
Questions that address various children put it in the center of attention, enabling
him to adapt it easily in the society of coeval. General discipline must be
implemented promptly, but the child should never be punished because of the
disorder (fluctuation) of the speech.

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• Never ask your child to speak with people, unless he wants it. Public speaking
causes stretching of the child.

• Never provokes, deride or imitation your child. Do not let nor there to do this.
However, if your child is excited, learn how to behave in such situations.

• Save your child from the major competition for children or other family members.

• Physical condition is also important. The child shall have the necessary holiday and
schedule. Dietary food is necessary for normal development. Food rations should be
fair and without following problems. Parents should serve as example of good
behavior during meals of food.

• Teachers should stimulate these children to participate in performances, readings,

discussions and answer questions. Efforts should be approved and praised the child,
rather than regular speech. His colleagues must listen carefully, because only in this
way he will not feel themselves isolated and different from them. Often teachers do
not consider stuttering children during performances, because they have to listen
hard to the end. Such practice adversely affects the feelings of the child that is
possible and unwanted, so fosters even more stuttering.

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• Include children in the activities of the group talking if he does not want to talk
about himself.