Understand stuttering

Thu., May 8, 2008

The Spokesman-Review

I was heartened to read the May 4 letter by Brian Shute in which he explained that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month.

Mr. Shute mentioned stuttering, the most common speech disorder. I want to inform Spokesman-Review readers that May 12-18 is National Stuttering Awareness Week.

Stuttering affects 1 percent of the worldwide adult population, while about 4 percent of the child population experiences some form of stuttering during development. No cause for stuttering has been determined, but much evidence points to both genetic and neurological factors.

I want to encourage people who wish to learn more about stuttering and its treatment to visit the Web site of The Stuttering Foundation ( www.stutteringhelp.org) because it is most informative. The Web site has a national listing of qualified speech therapists, as well as a listing of books and DVDs on stuttering.

I have met many educated stutterers who have been repeatedly discriminated against in the job market solely because of their speech. I hope that National Stuttering Awareness Week will both serve to help children get successful speech therapy and to help adult stutterers face less discrimination in the work force.

Kevin J. Cullina

Deer Park

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