Stuttering Cure Myths

Are stuttering cures a myth? I do not think they are, and I am going to tell you why I think stuttering cures are factual. If a cure was based upon a myth, there would not be proven studies to show it works. I will give you a few example of what I am talking about:

My brother suffers from a stuttering disorder. His stuttering was really bad between the ages of 3 and 5. He would get stuck every time he started a new sentence. Then, he would become angry with himself and tense his whole body up to try and get the words out. His brain seemed to be moving at a quicker pace than his mouth.

This is a common belief in stuttering children. They have so much to say, and the words to do not come out fast enough. Teaching them to take their time will help them minimize their stuttering. There is also a correlation between stuttering and attention seeking behaviors in children. Researchers have proven that some children develop stuttering because they feel they need to repeat themselves to get more attention.

Speech therapists help the families of children who stutter, as well as the children. My mom was taught how to get down to my brother's level and give him her full attention. It was not too long before he was talking fluently to my parents and other people. My brother was taught to unclench his fists when he felt he needed to express himself.

He was shown breathing techniques to reduce the stress he was feeling when he started to stutter. He also learned about other children his age with stuttering disorders just like he had. He became less dependent on the speech pathologist. He was able to leave therapy after about a month, and he could recognize triggers that made him feel anxious, scared, or nervous. He was able to talk his way through a stuttering fit, instead of giving up and becoming frustrated with himself.

So, I do believe the cures for stuttering are legitimate. Research has been conducted for over 50 years on the topic of stuttering. Studies have found a connection between the imbalances of chemicals inside the brain of a stutterer and the imbalances of chemicals in a person with seizures.

There are too many research studies to say everything about the knowledge of stuttering tips is false. Patients use medication and coping techniques to guide them through difficult conversations. If medications and strategies are myths, why do people continue to use them every day?

My brother is no longer a child at 21 years of age. He has completely stopped stuttering. The personal experience with my brother has shown me there is some truth to the research on stuttering. People can be cured, because it has already been done. The question is - when will everyone with a stuttering disorder be cured? Maybe, then, everyone will believe the truth behind the practices of people trying to stop stuttering.