Stuttering can be very annoying and hinder communication. However, there are treatments to get rid of and deal with stuttering. Some treatments include the Stuttering Modification, Fluency Shaping, BOMA Method, Hausdörfer therapy, Del Ferro method and Lösch method.
Stuttering
Stuttering is an unconscious hindrance in the speaking rhythm of the speaker, where the speaker knows what he wants to say but cannot say it. The speaker fails to pronounce the sound he wants to say. Stuttering has two forms. There is open stuttering and hidden stuttering. The open stuttering is noticeable to the environment. They are congestions, repetitions and rests during speaking. The outside world knows little about hidden stuttering. The stutterer speaks less and tries to pronounce fewer difficult words in order to prevent stuttering.The cause of stuttering has not yet been determined. What is known is that stuttering is a coordination disorder in the brain.The assumption is that stuttering is hereditary, although there is no hard, unambiguous evidence for this. Stuttering often runs in the same families. About 1% of the world’s population stutters. 80% of this population are men. In the Netherlands there are approximately 170,000 people who stutter.
Treatments for stuttering
There are various treatment methods for stuttering. The largest are Stuttering Modification and Fluency Shaping.
Stuttering Modification
With Stuttering Modification – as the name suggests – the stuttering is changed. The goal is not to get rid of the stuttering, but to make the stuttering smoother. The stuttering moment is changed. The techniques serve to relax a tense stutter, allowing the stutterer to speak and stutter more fluently.In addition, an important aspect of the stuttering modification is that it changes the patient’s attitude towards stuttering. The patient is made less sensitive to his own stuttering and to reactions from the environment.
Fluency Shaping
Fluency Shaping focuses on speaking more fluently and reducing stuttering. This is about learning new speaking techniques in order to reduce stuttering. For example, the patient may have to change his speaking rate and breathing. The goal of this therapy is to really make stuttering disappear. The therapy therefore pays less attention to your attitude towards stuttering and how you feel about it. Self-control is very important, because after your therapy you will be the therapist of your own body.
Integration of Approaches
As the name suggests, Integration of Approaches therapy is based on both treatment methods for stuttering. So an attempt is made to change both the stuttering moments and the speaking techniques. A lot of attention is also paid to the patient’s feelings.
BOMA Method
The BOMA Method is similar to the Integration of Approaches therapy and balances physical and mental aspects of stuttering. The patient’s breathing and speaking techniques are changed, but the patient’s feelings are also changed. This stuttering feeling is the result of the negative experiences that the patient has experienced while speaking. This in turn can lead to fear and shame.
Hausdörfer therapy
The core of Hausdörfer therapy is that stuttering is not a physical defect. According to this therapy, stuttering is exclusively a mental problem caused by fear and tension in the speaker. There are several arguments given for this, including that stutterers rarely stutter when they are alone and that stutterers do not stutter while singing. This therapy therefore does not pay attention to breathing, because breathing is an autonomic function. The therapy is there to reduce tension, increase self-confidence and thus become a confident speaker.
Del Ferro method
The basis of the Del Ferro method is the training of the diaphragm. This training is combined with reducing fears and other emotional obstacles. This last aspect is the most important aspect of the therapy. The patient must overcome his fears and create self-confidence. In addition, the patient’s self-image must also improve. If this does not happen, stuttering cannot be eliminated using this therapy.
Lösch method
The Lösch method is very similar to the Integration of Approaches and is a radical therapy. There are three types of this therapy. This includes technical therapy. The way of speaking is drastically changed during this therapy. This therapy is mainly intended for people for whom psychological therapy is of no use or people who are not interested in such therapy. In addition, this therapy is also for people who stutter so badly that learning new speaking techniques is preferable. Person-oriented therapy and anxiety therapy are mainly intended to overcome the social and emotional factors of the stutterer.