crack pot award

[Nature's Communication Center]

First I just have to say that the award is too funny. This lady 100% deserves this award. Has she ever done any reading??? The cause is still "unknown" and therefore we treat it as such. It is more than likely not related to a "traumatic event" or childhood for that matter. If it was can you imagine how many more people on this earth would stutter? What we do know is that there are "risk factors" that can be good indicators of a predisposition. I have worked with many many people who stutter and MANY of them, I would say majority, did not have a traumatic event in their childhood.

It is so frustrating being a professional in this field because we have people like the crack pot lady running around saying things that are not even remotely realistic. Unfortunately It will be like this until the cause is known… Further, don’t even get me started on DAFS (delayed auditory feedback systems).

I will say there is and always will be 3 components to therapy and this speech/language disorder (if you’re not getting all of these you need a different therapist)…
1.Physiological aspect- motor programming, auditory stimuli, breathing, laryngeal tension, etc.
2.Attitudes and feelings- how you are affected by this both positive and negative, this part develops
after age 7
3.Environmental- different environments (restaurants, drive through, parties, school, work, etc) and
different people within those environments

What do you think? I wish we could get all professionals (Dr, therapists, teachers,etc) on board, that way we could actually see a decrease in stuttering…

[Juno Monstrose]

Whenever I took speech therapy all of these components were involved. We worked on my breathing, talked about how I dealt with the stress of stuttering, and how my stuttering differed/increased/decreased in different environments like school vs. home. Just therapy about traumatic events or childhood issues isn't going to cut it. Whenever I had speech therapy the real help came with the therapist helping me develop techniques I can use whenever I think I'm going to stutter. Stuttering doesn't always come with traumatic experiences. Half of my family stutters. The most traumatic experience I had was being bitten on the face by a dog and I was stuttering way before that (wow, that makes me sound really sheltered, but that might be true...). Stuttering is an issue that you just have to work on to control. Getting to the root of it is nice, but unless in some cases --like mine-- that takes back seat to actually being able to control it.

[Juno Monstrose]

Oh, and it would be nice if my teachers actually understood that my stuttering is something that I cannot help at the moment. Whenever I stutter they look at me as if I'm either a moron or the throw me a look of pity. Them just standing there and watching me struggle a sentence isn't going to help anything! If teachers acted as if they understood what I was going through, that might encourage me a lot more.

Juno Monstrose said:

Whenever I took speech therapy all of these components were involved. We worked on my breathing, talked about how I dealt with the stress of stuttering, and how my stuttering differed/increased/decreased in different environments like school vs. home. Just therapy about traumatic events or childhood issues isn't going to cut it. Whenever I had speech therapy the real help came with the therapist helping me develop techniques I can use whenever I think I'm going to stutter. Stuttering doesn't always come with traumatic experiences. Half of my family stutters. The most traumatic experience I had was being bitten on the face by a dog and I was stuttering way before that (wow, that makes me sound really sheltered, but that might be true...). Stuttering is an issue that you just have to work on to control. Getting to the root of it is nice, but unless in some cases --like mine-- that takes back seat to actually being able to control it.

[Nature's Communication Center]

I 100% agree with you...it is so frustrating that people in general respond the way they do. I have been going to the schools to do some training with the teachers and staff. It is great because they ask a lot of really good questions and I am always surprised to see how uncomfortable they feel asking the questions to the person who stutters and how they feel. It's kinda like the big pink elephant in the room, ya know...everyone sees it and no one wants to talk about it...
You are so right, just therapy is not going to cut it...you need techniques...AND you have to work on them...

Hmmm so do think targets and control are better than the root??? (if we knew what the root was??)

Juno Monstrose said:

Oh, and it would be nice if my teachers actually understood that my stuttering is something that I cannot help at the moment. Whenever I stutter they look at me as if I'm either a moron or the throw me a look of pity. Them just standing there and watching me struggle a sentence isn't going to help anything! If teachers acted as if they understood what I was going through, that might encourage me a lot more.

Juno Monstrose said:

Whenever I took speech therapy all of these components were involved. We worked on my breathing, talked about how I dealt with the stress of stuttering, and how my stuttering differed/increased/decreased in different environments like school vs. home. Just therapy about traumatic events or childhood issues isn't going to cut it. Whenever I had speech therapy the real help came with the therapist helping me develop techniques I can use whenever I think I'm going to stutter. Stuttering doesn't always come with traumatic experiences. Half of my family stutters. The most traumatic experience I had was being bitten on the face by a dog and I was stuttering way before that (wow, that makes me sound really sheltered, but that might be true...). Stuttering is an issue that you just have to work on to control. Getting to the root of it is nice, but unless in some cases --like mine-- that takes back seat to actually being able to control it.

[Juno Monstrose]

It would be nice to find the root to stuttering. My stuttering doesn't follow a pattern. For a few years in middle school I completely forgot I stuttered and talked just fine. But it's back now and it doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. My guess is that the roots for my stuttering is stress and genetics (since many of my family members stutter, too). I guess that knowing stress is a part of the problem may help me with learning to control it, but there's no way I'm going to be able to relax any time within the next few years (especially now since I'm going through the college application process). Of course my stuttering isn't the same as the stuttering of everyone else. For me, the cause of my stuttering isn't something that can be changed very easily. But for someone else, maybe the root of their stuttering is something psychological. But for people like me where stuttering is just a part of them, ways to control the stuttering may take precedent to why.

I hope that stuttering will become a bigger issue in the future. Maybe stuttering can be prevented (I'm not really sure how, but who knows). Just wondering, what do you talk about with the teachers? What kind of training do you give them?

Nature's Communication Center said:

I 100% agree with you...it is so frustrating that people in general respond the way they do. I have been going to the schools to do some training with the teachers and staff. It is great because they ask a lot of really good questions and I am always surprised to see how uncomfortable they feel asking the questions to the person who stutters and how they feel. It's kinda like the big pink elephant in the room, ya know...everyone sees it and no one wants to talk about it...
You are so right, just therapy is not going to cut it...you need techniques...AND you have to work on them...

Hmmm so do think targets and control are better than the root??? (if we knew what the root was??)

Juno Monstrose said:

Oh, and it would be nice if my teachers actually understood that my stuttering is something that I cannot help at the moment. Whenever I stutter they look at me as if I'm either a moron or the throw me a look of pity. Them just standing there and watching me struggle a sentence isn't going to help anything! If teachers acted as if they understood what I was going through, that might encourage me a lot more.

Juno Monstrose said:

Whenever I took speech therapy all of these components were involved. We worked on my breathing, talked about how I dealt with the stress of stuttering, and how my stuttering differed/increased/decreased in different environments like school vs. home. Just therapy about traumatic events or childhood issues isn't going to cut it. Whenever I had speech therapy the real help came with the therapist helping me develop techniques I can use whenever I think I'm going to stutter. Stuttering doesn't always come with traumatic experiences. Half of my family stutters. The most traumatic experience I had was being bitten on the face by a dog and I was stuttering way before that (wow, that makes me sound really sheltered, but that might be true...). Stuttering is an issue that you just have to work on to control. Getting to the root of it is nice, but unless in some cases --like mine-- that takes back seat to actually being able to control it.

[marwa]

omg then u should hear my story. As a child i had the happiest life i can think of. my parents are both doctors and i loved all my friends and family. was the most social kid u could ever think of. suddenly when i started hanging around with this guy that statters i began to statter too! I was 8 yrs old and always thought why that guy couldnt speak normally ? he always struggled with talkin. its only when i started stammerin i realised how he must have felt. it was weird cuz when i started stattering the guy completely STOPPED STATERING for weeks. then when he started stammerin at last, i stopped stammering for a while and cycle repeats itself. lols i would go lookin for him so he can take his stammering back from me :) childhood days! no one in my whole generation has stammeirng issue and i had the best childhood so dont reckon stammering is caused by childhood traumatic experiences :)

[Nature's Communication Center]

You are so smart!, and I don't even know you but I can tell this much about you! You are very insightful and I am sure you will progress in this area. Stress is pretty much a huge factor for all of my clients and people I have worked with... but I will say it is difficult for most to change and work on anything, especially stuttering. As one becomes an adult, stuttering is different then dealing with it as a kid, you are faced with more...more experiences, more knowledge, more ideas, more attempts, more awareness, etc. When you are an adult (teens too) you are more set on who you are and your patterns...which I am hearing you say too...it is challenging, but when you are ready, really ready you will make great gains. Just because you are an adult does not mean you can not improve or change, you have to want to be open for the change. I know college stresses all to well, but just remember if one way doesn't work it's because you were meant to go another way or do something else. Try to not put too much pressure on yourself...I know that is easier said than done, but it will happen if you stick to it (just like your speech, :) ). That's my box for today....lol..
So, yes what do I talk with teachers about...
Well, I typically have the kids create an outline as to how they can be more successful in the class...how to take stress off of them in class. so we talk about, not calling on them, allowing them to raise their hand for the answers, no popcorn reading outloud, don't tell them to "slow down or relax", don't finish their words...especially in front of the class, model good patient listening and turn taking, etc. We then typically set up a time for the student to come do a class presentation about stuttering...(which is so cool to see) The child typically requests ongoing feedback from their teachers after school or on break. I talk to the teachers about relieving the stresses of the class so that they can focus on the material at hand. We talk about an action plan for bullying. And...then teachers ask questions. It's usually about an hour long but I go in every year thats needed until the child is confident in self advocating and their speech. whew...that's alot...the main point of the meeting is supporting the kids, building them up, and building a trusting relationship...the teacher education is a bonus.

Juno Monstrose said:

It would be nice to find the root to stuttering. My stuttering doesn't follow a pattern. For a few years in middle school I completely forgot I stuttered and talked just fine. But it's back now and it doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. My guess is that the roots for my stuttering is stress and genetics (since many of my family members stutter, too). I guess that knowing stress is a part of the problem may help me with learning to control it, but there's no way I'm going to be able to relax any time within the next few years (especially now since I'm going through the college application process). Of course my stuttering isn't the same as the stuttering of everyone else. For me, the cause of my stuttering isn't something that can be changed very easily. But for someone else, maybe the root of their stuttering is something psychological. But for people like me where stuttering is just a part of them, ways to control the stuttering may take precedent to why.

I hope that stuttering will become a bigger issue in the future. Maybe stuttering can be prevented (I'm not really sure how, but who knows). Just wondering, what do you talk about with the teachers? What kind of training do you give them?

Nature's Communication Center said:

I 100% agree with you...it is so frustrating that people in general respond the way they do. I have been going to the schools to do some training with the teachers and staff. It is great because they ask a lot of really good questions and I am always surprised to see how uncomfortable they feel asking the questions to the person who stutters and how they feel. It's kinda like the big pink elephant in the room, ya know...everyone sees it and no one wants to talk about it...
You are so right, just therapy is not going to cut it...you need techniques...AND you have to work on them...

Hmmm so do think targets and control are better than the root??? (if we knew what the root was??)

Juno Monstrose said:

Oh, and it would be nice if my teachers actually understood that my stuttering is something that I cannot help at the moment. Whenever I stutter they look at me as if I'm either a moron or the throw me a look of pity. Them just standing there and watching me struggle a sentence isn't going to help anything! If teachers acted as if they understood what I was going through, that might encourage me a lot more.

Juno Monstrose said:

Whenever I took speech therapy all of these components were involved. We worked on my breathing, talked about how I dealt with the stress of stuttering, and how my stuttering differed/increased/decreased in different environments like school vs. home. Just therapy about traumatic events or childhood issues isn't going to cut it. Whenever I had speech therapy the real help came with the therapist helping me develop techniques I can use whenever I think I'm going to stutter. Stuttering doesn't always come with traumatic experiences. Half of my family stutters. The most traumatic experience I had was being bitten on the face by a dog and I was stuttering way before that (wow, that makes me sound really sheltered, but that might be true...). Stuttering is an issue that you just have to work on to control. Getting to the root of it is nice, but unless in some cases --like mine-- that takes back seat to actually being able to control it.

[Nature's Communication Center]

I agree with you, I believe stuttering is not related to a psychological or traumatic event! I don't think, out of all the people I have worked with, not one had a psychological event for the root. I think maybe some personality types are the same though :) It is interesting that you bring up your stutter...a contagious stutter...lol, I experience this sometimes too when I have been working with a lot of people in the same day, I pick up their pattern...but that also happens with accents for me too... I haven't ever heard of it sticking around like yours...very interesting! So do you get speech or have you had speech? One thing that is constant with stuttering is it is always in flux! A rollercoaster until you flatten the track. Maybe you were given this experience for a reason??? hmmm…

marwa said:

omg then u should hear my story. As a child i had the happiest life i can think of. my parents are both doctors and i loved all my friends and family. was the most social kid u could ever think of. suddenly when i started hanging around with this guy that statters i began to statter too! I was 8 yrs old and always thought why that guy couldnt speak normally ? he always struggled with talkin. its only when i started stammerin i realised how he must have felt. it was weird cuz when i started stattering the guy completely STOPPED STATERING for weeks. then when he started stammerin at last, i stopped stammering for a while and cycle repeats itself. lols i would go lookin for him so he can take his stammering back from me :) childhood days! no one in my whole generation has stammeirng issue and i had the best childhood so dont reckon stammering is caused by childhood traumatic experiences :)