When looking at speech therapy options for stuttering, it’s important to understand how each differs; so that the patient is treated in the most appropriate way. Such a decision is more driven by the patient and the severity of the problem.
For some, therapy may be best approached in a group setting. Others will simply panic. This could be particularly the case for children, of course, and individual therapy is also available.
Whichever therapy is decided upon, it will also be necessary to determine whether an intensive or non-intensive course is required. If the stutter is particularly severe, an intensive course is most likely, which can last up to six hours a day for a predetermined period. This in itself can be irritating and exhausting, so the patient’s mental state will need to be carefully assessed.
Of course, determining a patient’s mental state is key before deciding on any therapy. In many cases, stuttering is simply the effect of an underlying cause; and this could be anything from something seemingly trivial; let’s say a children’s argument in the schoolyard; or something much more traumatic; such as the death of a close relative or sibling.
If a particularly traumatic or devastating memory is to blame, speech therapy may be just one part of other prescribed therapies; including hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy, for example.
Having discussed and agreed on the basics of therapy, it will be necessary to discuss other more precise options. The human brain is not an exact thing, and as a result, there is more than one approach to treating problems like stuttering.
Many therapists believe they face the problem head on and work to reduce instances of avoiding the problem. Conversely, other therapists believe that avoiding getting into situations that make the problem worse is the first step in treating any problem. And again, more therapists still believe that a combination of these methods will work.
One type of therapy that is gaining a lot of respect in recent years is simply controlling your breathing and focusing more on the way words are formed in your mouth.
With so many speech therapy options available for stuttering, the first step is to discuss them in detail with a doctor to get the proper guidance.
