When it comes to childhood disorders and problems, speech stuttering is often brushed to the side. Since it’s not particularly fatal or debilitating, the condition is often dismissed as something that a child will outgrow. Even though most children do eventually ease out of early childhood stuttering, the damage might have already been done to their self-esteem and psyche. Those who stutter must often attend speech pathology classes and will no doubt suffer ridicule from his or her peers, who will be quick to point out anything that seems different.

Scientists aren’t sure what exactly causes stuttering, but researchers hypothesize that there are a number of regions in the brain that play a part in stammering stuttering; namely the cortex, the cerebrum and the cortical pathways. In the past, physicians thought that blocking a chemical called “dopamine” in the brain would reduce the incidence of stuttering, but now they’re finding that increasing the level of GABA chemical can work in much the same way. Speech problems tend to run in the family, indicating that there is an unknown genetic factor at work. With developmental stuttering, children may find it difficult to synch their thoughts with their language capabilities, and in adult cases of strokes or brain injuries, neurogenic stuttering occurs because there are lesions or structural abnormalities in the motor-speech region of the brain.

If you’re thinking of taking your child to the physician to address speech stuttering, comprehend that your appointment will be swift and you’ll likely be referred to a speech pathologist. To get the most out of your appointment, be sure to write down important information, such as when the child first started speaking words and sentences, when the stuttering began, factors that alleviate and worsen symptoms, a list of all medications/supplements the child is taking and any questions you may have. You might also want to ask what causes stuttering. What tests does my child need? What treatments are suggested? Are there other substitute treatments? Are there speech stuttering therapy support groups or centers in the community? Which websites do you advocate for finding out more information?

Researchers are still looking for a cure for speech stuttering, although many medication trials are currently underway, including a promising one called pagaclone. Most kids will simply outgrow their problem without drugs or speech therapy. It’s important for parents to be patient with their kids and not cut them off when talking, and to praise them when they talk fluently. Speaking slowly and deliberately will help children find a natural rate of speech over time, which is a lot of what a speech therapist works on. A few types of electronic devices are also available to help people who stutter, including a device which encourages kids to talk slower or else their voices will sound distorted through the machine. There’s also a device that mimics the child’s speech to sound like he or she is speaking along with someone else. It’s ideal to talk with your child’s doctor to find the ideal solution.

Rene Lacape has been in the insurance industry for several years now and he has been a proficient worker in this field already. If you need anything about insurance, you can give him a call or visit his website anytime.

Share This

Share This