Stuttering is an impediment to normal, fluent speech. It is a complex set of speech behaviors that include repetition of sounds or syllables, hesitation, and difficulty pronouncing a word or group of words.
If you always find your words stuck at the tip of your tongue, you are not alone. More than three million Americans suffer from this speech difficulty. For sure, you know how hard it is to cope with the condition, not to mention the mocking reaction of others whenever they hear stutters in a speech.
There is no single cure for stammering. However, stutterers can heave a sigh of relief from the fact that their condition can be reduced so that they will become more comfortable with speaking and interacting with people. Because the speech problem varies from one person to another, people who stutter also need different kinds of treatment. The treatment method you will use must be tailored according to your unique symptoms. That way, it will be easy and quick for you to improve your speech fluency.
Nowadays, a wide array of treatments is available for people who stutter. Here are some of the therapies and other treatment options you may consider to control your tendency to stumble when you talk.
Anti-Stuttering Medications
Make sure that the medications you are going to take to reduce stammering are prescribed by your doctor. Certain medications such as risperidone, olanzapine, and haloperidol typically lower the incidence of stammering by 30 to 50 percent. Ask your doctor about the side effects of these drugs, so you will be well prepared if theres any.
Avoid medications that trigger or increase the severity of stammering. These drugs include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Zoloft and Prozac. Ritalin, a dopamine agonist, is not recommended as well for stutterers.
Stammering Modification Therapy
This treatment method does not aim to stop a persons stammering altogether, simply because it is impossible. As the term implies, the therapy modifies or alters stammering to make the condition less severe. In addition, the therapy helps eliminate avoidance to social situations and reduce the fear associated with stammering. With the help of a clinically trained speech specialist, you can make yourself a better speaker despite your tendency to stutter, thanks to stammering modification therapy.
Fluency Shaping Therapy
This therapy uses proper articulation, breathing, and relaxation techniques to train a person to speak fluently.
When you undergo fluency shaping therapy, you will learn how to speak correctly and reduce stammering by breathing with your diaphragm, slowly increasing the tension in your vocal cord as you start speaking, prolonging vowels to slow down your rate of speaking, and lessening the pressure on your articulation.
The therapy takes about one to two years to complete. After the therapy, you will notice significant improvements in your speech such as slower and more fluent speech. About 70 percent of patients get successful results from fluency shaping therapy.
Anti-Stuttering Devices
Devices that are designed to stop stuttering are found to be effective when used with fluency shaping therapy. These gadgets provide a modified auditory feedback to their users, helping them to hear their speaking voice.