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Therapists Say Don't Ignore Stuttering

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By DONNA KOEHN

dkoehn@tampatrib.com

Published: January 4, 2009

TAMPA - About 5 percent of children stutter, but parents often believe it's best to avoid talking about it.

That's the wrong approach, says Nathan Maxfield, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Florida.

"Adults who stutter often report that they felt helpless due to their stuttering as children, and isolated," says Maxfield, an expert in the field.

Speech therapy can alleviate stuttering. To help parents, children and therapists, the USF Speech Clinic is sponsoring a Youth Day workshop on campus Jan. 17 in cooperation with the National Stuttering Association.

"The aim of Youth Day is to bring together kids who stutter, let them know that they are not alone, boost their self-confidence by helping them to recognize their strengths, and let them know that what they have to say is important," Maxfield says.

One of the topics is coping with bullying, a problem for many kids who stutter.

"They may avoid speaking in school," he says, which can hurt them both academically and socially.

The cost is $10 for parents and children, with a $3 pizza lunch. Financial aid is available. For information, call (813) 974-6190 or e-mail Maxfield at nmaxfiel@cas.usf.edu. To register and to learn more about the National Stuttering Association, go to www.westutter.org and look for the link on the Youth Day event in Tampa.

Reporter Donna Koehn can be reached at (813) 259-8264. Reporter Donna Koehn can be reached at (813) 259-8264.

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