Dear SFA: Reader Response

SpeechEasy and Children

Dear SFA:

We’ve given the idea of using the SpeechEasy with children a lot of thought.

It would be unfortunate, we think, if young children were fitted with the device as they respond positively to a variety of traditional treatments. As far as we know, there is no research on the effects of Speech Easy on young children. 

Along with treating the stuttering in children, sometimes there are other treatment needs, such as language, articulation, etc. Only if an older child has had a history of unsuccessful treatment and if the child does not have avoidance behaviors, might it be considered. 

The child, also, should be able to achieve an easy onset. A child who clutters/stutters probably would not be a good candidate since those children have difficulty being aware of their speech and the use of easy onset.

In other words, individual speech and language assessments are as necessary with the device as in any other treatment plan. Caution is the key word.

Drs. Jeanna & Glyndon Riley
Riley Speech and Language Institute
Tustin, California

Drawing by Trevor Davis, 8, who writes, “ Speech looks like a river flowing and then someone put a rock in it so it can’t flow.” Submitted by Charito Shook, a bilingual SLP at Libby Elementary School in Oceanside, Calif.

Nick’s the Best!

I just want to let you know that your Foundation is remarkable. I cannot begin to tell you how many lives you have touched and helped.

The way I became familiar with The Stuttering Foundation was the first year Nicholas Brendon was chosen as spokesman. Personally, I do not stutter, and I can’t even imagine what a stutterer goes through.

As an avid Nick fan I have read a lot of articles where he speaks about his battle with stuttering and on some occasions I was personally able to hear him talk about it. You couldn’t have picked a better spokesman. Nicholas speaks from his heart and grabs your attention and touches your soul. He’s the perfect role model. The perfect inspiration.

Recently I purchased three posters from the Foundation, all of Nick, and placed them in my high school, my nephew’s elementary school, and in the local library. The response has been amazing! A freshman boy from my school e-mailed me and explained how terrific he thought the Stuttering Foundation was. He was also in awe of the fact that Nicholas has a stutter and told me that “It’s just so wonderful to see his face on that poster.”

The Stuttering Foundation has touched the hearts of so many people and I am very proud to be a supporter.

Tara Ripke

Editor’s Note: Nicholas has worked with the SFA since 2001. In that time, www.NickBrendon.com visitors have contributed more than $5,000 to the charity. Helping the SFA is a significant outcome of Nick’s role on Buffy. You can still contribute to the SFA through Nick’s Birthday Project on his site www.NickBrendon.com

I Can Do Anything

This is it. Larissa gave her speech in front of her classmates and won the contest. Now it’s time to speak in front of a larger audiecne with parents, teachers and admnistrators. She seems cool and calm as she approaches the microphone. I hold my breath as she begins.

She uses her compensatory strategies: pacing, slower rate and slide-outs, with ease and confidence. I think back to the girl I met over two years ago, who thought she was the only person in the world who stuttered. Among other things, she has learned about famous people who stutter. She especially liked King George, who “looked like he was going to throw up” before his coronation speech. She read about other children who stutter and wrote letters to them. But most of all, we have laughed together while sharing feelings and ideas.

As she ends her speech, my teary eyes are filled with joy as the audience claps in appreciation. As we smile at each other, she and I both know the secret to success—confidence in who you are as a unique individual.

Mary Kozak

This is about my D.A.R.E. speech and how I got through it. D.A.R.E. is a program at my school that teaches kids about drugs. A good idea is to practice with an adult and pretend aliens are in the audience. Aliens don’t make me feel nervous, like people do, during a speech. My stomach does flips when I have to give a speech. I use slide-outs and it is very helpful. A really good tip is to read your speech over and over again to an adult. Talk slowly and pause between your sentences. Don’t be afraid to try and give your speech in front of a lot of people. If I can do it, then I know you can too!

Larissa Nakamura

Art by David Sakiewicz, 10, who writes, “I feel that my speech is like a dark cloud looming and following me, and when I use my speech utensils I put on a raincoat and I feel in control!”

Our Stories

Dear SFA:

Following are letters from my students whom I treat for stuttering. As a speech therapist, I often feel FRUSTRATED and INADEQUATE in trying to help my students with stuttering. At speech department meetings, it seems all of the other therapists share these same feelings.

I appreciate your materials from The Stuttering Foundation. We’re reading through the Sometimes I Just Stutter book together and I am copying it and sending it home for them to share with their families.

Joey is a 5th grader with good self-esteem. His stuttering does not hold him back from participating in school. He is a bright boy who knows his sports statistics. When he is retelling sports facts and when he gets up to perform before a crowd, his speech is more fluent than most. He also came in third place in our county’s spelling bee.

Blake is a “cool” and very intelligent 5th grader. He is quite a leader and a straight “A” student. He’s great and enjoys math and drawing and we’ve discussed being an engineer, architect, graphic illustrator, and so on. I remind him that he’s a leader and others really watch him and copy what he’s doing.

Thank you for your time and for having a place where children can feel at home with their stuttering and communicate those feelings, while being totally understood.

Christine Dietrich, MA, CCC-SLP
Rockingham, NC

Joey’s Story

Dear Stuttering Foundation

I have been working on my stuttering a lot lately. Our speech therapist told us that on special occasions you can’t stutter, but when that special occasion ends, it don’t care if you stutter or not.

I am eleven years old now and I have been stuttering for 6-8 years and I want to stop stuttering. I have been working really hard on it, and now I am doing a lot better on it.

I sure hope you get my letter and write me back, because I really want to stop stuttering.

From Joey Thornton

Blake’s Story About His Stuttering

I think that kids who stutter should not feel sad about it. I have been going to therapy for 2 years, and she has [taught] me how to overcome stuttering.

I am ten years old and I have been stuttering all my life and I don’t stutter a lot now. Kids shouldn’t be upset about stuttering. I feel special about it, and other kids should too.

Blake Utley

Send your letters to SFA, P.O. Box 11749, Memphis, TN 38111-0749
or email info@stutteringhelp.org.