IMPEDE PROGRESS AND EXPOSE A CHILD TO RIDICULE AND SOCIAL ISOLATION . SCHOOL CAN BE STRESSFUL AT TIMES FOR ANY CHILD . FOR ONE WHO IS AFRAID TO READ ALOUD , SPEAK , GIVE AN ANSWER , ACT IN A PLAY OR EVEN TO TALK AT BREAK , THE STRESSES AND ANXIETIES ARE EVEN MORE ACUTE / SIGNIFICANTLY EXACERBATED . IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALISE THAT STUTTERING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUP . IT DOES NOT STRIKE ONLY AT THE EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED OR THE ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED . ALL EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE WHO STUTTER ARE , AS A GROUP , NO LESS INTELLECTUALLY , ACADEMICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY WELL- FUNCTIONING THAN THEIR PEERS . THEY ARE NOT , BY DEFINITION , NERVOUS , ANXIOUS , UNHAPPY OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN PEOPLE WHO MAY DISPLAY DIFFICULT SPEAKING .
HOWEVER , STUTTERING MAY CAUSE ANXIETIES . FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS , THESE FEARS AND ANXIETIES ARE MORE DISABLING THAN THEIR PHYSICAL STUTTERING . FEELINGS THAT ADULTS WHO STUTTER DESCRIBE INCLUDE FRUSTRATION , EMBARRASSMENT , HELPLESSNESS AND ISOLATION . STUTTERING MAY AFFECT THE PERSON ’ S -DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AS IT MAY DICTATE ONE ’ S CHOICE OF CAREER AND MAY CAUSE ONE TO AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE , MEETING / TALKING TO NEW PEOPLE OR EVEN ORDERING FOOD AT A RESTAURANT
THERE ARE NO INSTANT OR ‘ MAGICAL ’ CURES FOR STUTTERING . SPEECH THERAPY DOES NOT PRODUCE OVERNIGHT RESULTS . A THERAPIST WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST IN STUTTERING CAN HELP CHILDREN , TEENAGERS , YOUNG ADULTS AND EVEN OLDER ADULTS MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS FLUENCY . IT IS NEVER TOO LATE FOR INTERVENTION !
HOWEVER , EARLY INTERVENTION , FOR A CHILD WHO IS DYSFLUENT AND WHOM A PARENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT , IS RECOMMENDED . THERE ARE A VARIETY OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES FOR TREATING BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO STUTTER BUT THE MOST APPROPRIATE APPROACH WILL DEPEND ON THE NATURE OF THE PERSON ’ S STUTTER . EVERY PERSON WHO STUTTERS IS UNIQUE AND THUS THERAPY NEEDS TO BE TAILORED TO HIS / HER SPECIFIC NEEDS .
ATTENDANCE AT A SELF HELP GROUP FOR PEOPLE WHO STUTTER CAN ALSO BE BENEFICIAL AND IS RECOMMENDED . SPEAKEASY IS SUCH A SUPPORT GROUP FOR PEOPLE WHO STUTTER , THEIR FAMILY