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Stuttering Objectives for the Speech Pathologist

Stuttering symptoms include repeating words along with prolonging sounds. A stutterer might say, "um" more than normal. Or, he might say, "S-s-s-save me a seat," prolonging the "s" sound until he can complete the word. Stuttering can pop up occasionally or be severe enough to prevent conversation, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Speech pathologists help patients correct this communication disorder.

  1. Awareness

    • Getting an overall understanding of stuttering is an immediate goal during speech pathology visits. Many patients and their families mistakenly believe nervousness causes stammering and the sufferer simply needs to relax. A clinician explains the complexities of the human speech mechanisms so that patients understand that stuttering represents an imbalance in speech management skills.

    Relearning

    • A speech pathologist introduces new techniques that reduce a stutterer's rate of speech, according to ASHA. The pathologist coaches the patient to pay attention to her breathing as she reads aloud some short sentences or phrases. The patient gradually picks up the pace while reciting longer sentences until she can produce a more natural and fluent pattern. Her pathologist also adds some challenges during therapy sessions to ensure that she remains calm and focused on her breathing and speech patterns.

    Relapses

    • Stutterers are often prone to experiencing relapses throughout their lives even with treatment. One of the speech pathologist's objectives is predicting the chances of a relapse. Risk factors include a family history of stuttering, exhibiting symptoms for six months or longer and demonstrating other speech issues, says ASHA. Patients are prone to relapsing if their families are overly anxious about their conditions and rates of progress.

    Confidence

    • Speech pathologists instill confidence in stutterers who sometimes endure humiliation through family members and friends who grow impatient with their repetitious style of talking. Face-to-face conversations can feel torturous, forcing patients to withdraw and avoid social contact, ASHA reports. Job-related tasks like presentations or interviews are especially overwhelming to a stutterer. Sometimes stutterers find courage through numbers, says the Stuttering Foundation; notable people who overcame this impediment include singer Carly Simon and actor Bruce Willis.

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