As October arrives with the promise of pumpkin spice, autumn leaves, and cooler weather, this month I am highlighting International Stuttering Awareness Day on October 22, 2024. “Stuttering is a difference in speech patterning involving loss of control of speech which results in disruptions, or disfluencies.”
According to the National Stuttering Association (NSA), approximately 1% of adults across the globe stutter and stuttering is more common in males than females.
Common myths about stuttering include: people stutter because they are nervous, people who stutter are shy, less intelligent or capable, stuttering is a habit that people can break if they want to because stuttering is psychological. Stuttering is NOT psychological, it is neurological and physiological, typically developing in childhood. Stuttering is genetically influenced and may develop over time or start suddenly.
Stuttering presents in various ways in people with NSA identifying three ways in which stuttering presents:
- speech repetitions (D-d-d-dog)
- prolongations (Mmmmmmilk)
- blocks of silence in speech or a combination of these sounds
There is no cure for stuttering, however, working with a speech language pathologist can share strategies such as fluency shaping and stuttering modification. Knowing that a cure does not exist, a movement to promote strategies that focus on facilitating desensitization to stuttering and acceptance of stuttering as a normal part of life.
I have been coaching a student who stutters for about a year. When we first started coaching, I found myself rushing to fill in the words that were repeating, which was inappropriate. It was nervousness on my part as I was inexperienced with coaching someone with a stutter. As we progressed through our coaching relationship, I continued to lean on my coach training with an emphasis on active listening, presence, and cultivating trust and safety.
We meet weekly and I have learned to relax and allow the words to flow through my student without rushing.
I encourage you to learn more about stuttering this month and remember to stay in the moment while coaching without trying to lead or speak over a client.
October also brings us World Mental Health Day on October 10 and Invisible Disabilities Week, October 20-26.