Stuttering is generally diagnosed by a
speech-language pathologist, a professional who is specially trained to test and
treat individuals with voice, speech and language disorders. The diagnosis is
usually based on the history of the disorder, such as when it was first noticed
and under what circumstances, as well as a complete evaluation of speech and
language abilities.
How is stuttering treated?
There are a variety of treatments available for
stuttering. Any of the methods may improve stuttering to some degree, but there
is at present no cure for stuttering. Stuttering therapy, however, may help
prevent developmental stuttering from becoming a life-long problem. Therefore a
speech evaluation is recommended for children who stutter for longer than six
months or for those whose stuttering is accompanied by struggle behaviors.
Developmental stuttering is often treated by educating parents about
restructuring the child's speaking environment to reduce the episodes of
stuttering. Parents are often urged to:
provide a relaxed home environment that provides ample opportunities for the
child to speak. Setting aside specific times when the child and parent can speak
free of distractions is often helpful.
refrain from criticizing the child's speech or reacting negatively to the
child's disfluencies. Parents should avoid punishing the child for any
disfluencies or asking the child repeat stuttered words until they are spoken
fluently.
resist encouraging the child to perform verbally for people.
listen attentively to the child when he or she speaks.
speak slowly and in a relaxed manner. If a parent speaks this way, the child
will often speak in the same slow, relaxed manner.
wait for the child to say the intended word. Don't try to complete the
child's thoughts.
talk openly to the child about stuttering if he or she brings up the subject.
Many of the currently popular therapy programs for persistent stuttering
focus on relearning how to speak or unlearning faulty ways of speaking. The
psychological side effects of stuttering that often occur, such as fear of
speaking to strangers or in public, are also addressed in most of these
programs.
Other forms of therapy utilize interventions such as medications or
electronic devices. Medications or drugs which affect brain function often have
side effects that make them difficult to use for long-term treatment. Electronic
devices which help an individual control fluency may be more of a bother than a
help in most speaking situations and are often abandoned by individuals who
stutter.
Unconventional methods of stuttering therapy also exist. It is always a good
policy to check the credentials, experience and goals of the person offering
treatment. Avoid working with anyone who promises a "cure" for stuttering.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Tremor is the involuntary movements of one or more parts of the body. Causes of tremor include neurological disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, drugs, mercury poisoning, overactive thyroid and liver failure. There are several types of tremor. Treatment depends upon the type of tremor and availability of medications for the condition.
Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of mental retardation. It's caused by a mutation on the X chromosome. People with Fragile X syndrome suffer from physical, social, emotional, speech, language, sensory, intelligence, and learning impairments. There is no definitive treatment for Fragile X, though there are ways to minimize the symptoms.
Good parenting helps foster empathy, honesty, self-reliance, self-control, kindness, cooperation, and cheerfulness, says Steinberg, a distinguished professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. It also promotes intellectual curiosity, motivation, and desire to achieve. It helps protect children from developing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, antisocial behavior, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
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