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Are you a stutterer? If so, then you know the fear that comes with expressing yourself. The simplest request can turn into a nightmare of embarrassment, of feeling inadequate, hopeless, yes, even stupid. Why, you have no doubt asked yourself, do I have this problem. What can I do to overcome it?
The problem of stuttering has absolutely nothing to do with intellect. Research indicates that there is rarely any difference between the speech organs of the stutterer and those who don’t stutter. However, it is possible that the larynx of the stutterer may be more readily tensed than those of non stutterers. Some researchers are of the opinion that stutterers ‘learn’ to stutter early on in life while in the home environment. They believe that the attitude of the parents, especially the mother, can predispose their child to becoming a stutterer. Should she be a perfectionist, overly anxious or excessively concerned about the impression her child makes to others, a tendency toward stuttering may be triggered in the child. This usually manifests itself at around age three.
Different researchers have had success with different approaches to treating stuttering. One speech therapist is convinced that stuttering is a problem of physical action. By coaching stutterers not to press their lips together tightly or hold his breath, he has helped many. Another specialist sees it as more of an emotionally linked condition. By getting patients to relax and release stress, he has found success. It is obvious, then, that one type of treatment will not work for everybody. The key, though, is to get informed about the subject. Stutterers and parents of stutterers should read as much as they can about the condition. In the meantime here are 7 quick tips for stutterers:
(1) Do not expect to stutter. If you do, it will become a self fulfilling prophecy.
(2) Do not accept stuttering as your normal type of speech. Strive to improve.
(3) Consciously read and speak in a slow, controlled manner.
(4) Use a metronome to slow down your speech. Practice speaking at one word per second or sixty words per minute. As you gain fluency, increase to the normal speaking rate.
(5) Visualise yourself speaking fluently in a number of situations.
(6) Practice deep abdominal breathing for a softer and healthier voice.
(7) Rather than pursing your lips tightly during speech, bring them softly together. This will help you to speak in a soft, easy voice.
One final piece of advice for stutterers. Difficult as it may be, try to develop a humour about your condition. This will definitely help to ease the situation. Perhaps you could say something like, “There will be a brief delay in transmission due to technical operating difficulties.”
So, by working on your stuttering problem pro-actively and, at the same time, keeping a sense of humour about yourself, you will successfully cope with the stutterers challenge.
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