The Stuttering Foundation of America has provided a list of “Myths about Stuttering” that is so relevant for International Stuttering Awareness Day on October 22. It includes myths which are not true such as:
- People who stutter are not smart
- Nervousness causes stuttering
- Stuttering can be “caught.”
- It helps to tell a stutterer to “take a deep breath” before speaking
- Stress causes stuttering
If you go to their website at www.stutteringhelp.org, you can download the PDF file with the myths and explanations to set the facts straight.
I was recently reminded of the cloud of misconception around stuttering when I was at a dinner party and a person heard that I was a speech therapist. They launched into many questions about what causes stuttering which lead to clearing up some misconceptions.
If we all take on a little bit of the responsibility to educate the public about stuttering, there will be fewer “myths” being circulated about this speech issue.
