Stuttering or stammering is a speech disorder characterized by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, and phrases, or by frequent hesitations and silent pauses that disrupt the normal flow of speech, resulting in the stutters' inability to produce sounds (WHO ICD-10, 2010). Besides involuntary sound repetition, stuttering also includes the abnormal hesitation or pausing before speech
(referred to by stutterers as "blocks"), and the prolongation of sounds. Stuttering can vary in severity, from barely noticeable impediments to severe symptoms that hinder oral communication. The number of men who stutter is approximately four times as much as that of women, encompassing 70 million people worldwide, of about 1% of
…show more content…
As a stutter himself, the writer writes this paper to gain an insight into this speech disorder. This paper will discuss the causes of stuttering, its effect on a person’s feeling and attitudes, and different treatment programs to improve one’s fluency.
2. Findings
2.1. Causes of stuttering
No single, definite cause of stuttering is known. Various theories and hypotheses5 suggest that stuttering is caused by multiple factors (Gordon, 2002). According to the
British Stammering Association, “Stammering is at root a neurological condition, based in the wiring of the brain. Studies have shown differences in the anatomy and functioning of the brain of those who stammer compared with most other people."
Neuroimaging studies using PET scans or functional MRI in non-stutterers show that both hemispheres of the brain are active but that the left hemisphere may be more active.
In contrast, people who stutter have higher activity on the right hemisphere and relative deactivation of the left hemisphere auditory areas (Bloodstein & Ratner, 2008).
Hereditary factors are also widely considered to play a role in many cases of stuttering.
Stuttering tends to run in families, as someone who has a stuttering relative is likely
The textbook mentioned how it is possible to live with one side of the brain (Lilienfeld et al., 2016). However, I was still a bit confused on this concept because I have always thought that you need both hemispheres working together to function properly. As I watched the TedTalk, I was further able to change my understanding of the concept that you can live with one hemisphere, you would just lose some functions associated with that hemisphere, as Jill explained (Taylor, 2008). Not only that, but from the textbook I never understood how you would feel without one of your hemispheres not functioning properly, I personally thought that you would lose some abilities and it would be difficult to survive. However, the TedTalk changed this understanding of mine because, like Jill, although she lost some functions, she lost all her stresses, and she felt peace, as she states, “So here I am in this space, and my job, and any stress related to my job - it was gone. And I felt lighter in my body. And imagine all of the relationships in the external world and any stressors related to any of those - they were gone. And I felt this sense of peacefulness” (Taylor, 2008). It gave her a whole new world and it never occurred to me that this could happen, so it really expanded on the knowledge obtained from the
The 1992 comedy crime film, My Cousin Vinny, written by Dale Launer and directed by Jonathon Lynn portrays the communication disorder known as stuttering. Stuttering is a fluency disorder in which the rhythm and flow of speech is disrupted and differs significantly from what is socially accepted as ‘normal’. Stuttering has proven to be one of the most common communication disorders portrayed in media and literature; however, the reason behind including a stutter (ranging from barely there to extremely excessive) in a character’s script tends to vary.
Blood, Blood, Maloney, Meyer, & Qualls (2007) examined the anxiety levels in adolescents who stutter to increase their understanding of the role of anxiety in stuttering across the lifespan. The participants were 36 students, chosen from public schools in Pennsylvania, who were in the 7th through 12th grade. However, only participants who have had treatment for their stuttering were included in the study. The control groups were chosen from public schools as well, and were chosen to match the stuttering participants in grade, gender, ethnicity and approximate age. To assess the stuttering severity of the participants, the Stuttering Severity Insturment-3 (SSI-3) was used. The outcomes classified the participants’ stuttering as either mild, moderate, severe, or very severe (profound). In measuring anxiety levels the researchers used the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS)....
Studies have also shown that OCD is also familial and runs in families. The families of a person who is diagnosed with OCD have higher risk of developing OCD and tics disorders, which are repetitive movements and sounds, than does the general population. Studies have proved that parents, siblings and children of a person with OCD, have higher risk of developing OCD than does someone with no family history of the disorder, but this may only be correct for some kinds of OCD. For example, familial factors include the age of onset, which is that childhood-onset OCD have a tendency to run in families, and family history of tic-related disorders like Tourette’s disorder. Tourette’s disorder is a disorder, which causes a person to make repetitive movements and sounds that they cannot control.
is a hereditary predisposition to this disorder. Also, the way a child is raised can greatly increase
According to ASHA, more than 2 million people in the United States have a severe communication disorder that impairs their ability to talk. This problem may be short or long term, and may be congenital (present at birth), acquired (occurring later in late), or degenerative (worsening throughout life). Some disorders could be from lack of oxygen at during the birth process, premature birth, genetic disorders, Cerebral Palsy while others may be caused by aTraumatic Brain Injury, or degenerative diseases.
“Right-brained” or “left-brained” is a concept that has been manipulated by the media, it’s not supported by solid science. The myth of a “right-brain” person is generally creative, intuitive, artsy, while a left-brain person is more of a problem-solver, more direct, logical. Somehow the real meaning was lost in translation, so I’ll explain. The brain is divided into two sides, called hemispheres. The left hemisphere is often described as verbal and the right as
Stammering as King George calls it in the movie, is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disturbed by spontaneous repetition of sounds and sudden pauses. Stammering and stuttering as we know it are the exact same thing. King George VI wasn't born with a speech impediment he obtained it and adapted it through his childhood which concludes that there must have been a childhood problem that triggered the stammering. Stress in an environment can harm the production and the development of the brain. A lack of mental stimulation in neglectful/ stressful environments may limit the brain from developing to its full potential.
Nowadays, it is widely known that the right and left hemisphere have different functions. The two hemispheres are equally important in a daily life basis. Nevertheless, in the 1960’s this was not common knowledge. Even though today the importance of the brain hemispheres is common knowledge, people don’t usually know to whom attribute this findings. One of the people who contributed to form a more defined picture about the brain hemispheres and their respective functions was Roger Wolcott Sperry, with the split brain research. Roger Sperry did more contributions than the split brain research, but this is his most important and revolutionary research in the psychological field. Thanks to the split brain research, Sperry proved that the two hemispheres of the brain are important, they work together and whatever side of the brain is more capable of doing the task is the hemisphere that takes the lead.
...hese children were unfairly target for this research because they were institutionalized I believe that Johnson studied was to biased because he was so determine to find a cure that will help him in the long run instead of reviewing the facts. In reality, stuttering can caused by different things such as environmental, biological factor, or genetic. In Johnson, case he already had hypothesis in mind and he was too determine to prove his hypothesis instead of reviewing the facts.
First off, dyslexia is caused by several different factors. One of which is, being passed down through family genes. In fact, forty-nine percent
For example one question was, “does it prevent me from doing ordinary things?” It’s a yes and no answer because I still walk, and run it does not prevent me from doing things physical things, but when it comes to talking it’s a little bit more difficult and I struggle more. Stuttering makes things more challenging which is alright but you have to work more on how you talk. “Why can’t you speak correctly?” That is another question that anyone can ask and the truth is that it is a disorder in our speech sound of word, we repeat some of the words. “How does it feel to stutter?” To me as a stutter person it affects emotionally because sometimes I rather be quite and prevent talking and embarrassing myself. It affects us because of the way we communicate, it is not easy but we try to make it fluently as possible. (Question
Ongoing research has tried to pinpoint exact reasons as to why there is speech impairment for those with aphasia and other language disorders. Most theories suggest genetic and environmental implications. Is the speech disability some sort of defect from within the brain, or does the disability develop as a result of influence from your surroundings and lack of nurture from others?
Heredity-Learning disabilities have been known to run in families. Children with LD are likely to have parents, siblings, or other relatives who have LD.
...re of the brain is just half of the brain so why is it the only half being explored in school? This failure to confront the other hemisphere causes weakening in the right hemisphere since the right hemisphere isn?t being exercised.