Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Stuttering myths persist

|
|
 
  
Published: June 21, 2007 at 8:27 AM

MEMPHIS, June 21 (UPI) -- Stuttering affects more than 3 million Americans -- approximately 1 percent of the U.S. population -- but many stuttering myths persist.

Some 20 percent of all children go through a stage of development during which they encounter disfluencies severe enough to be a concern to their parents, according to the Stuttering Foundation.

"Myths persist through the years despite our efforts to demystify this complex disorder," Jane Fraser, president of the 60-year-old nonprofit organization Stuttering Foundation, said in a statement. "These myths create a negative perception of those who stutter and can harm their chances of success at school and in the workplace."

Many stuttering myths continue, including:

-- Myth: People who stutter are not smart, but the reality is there is no link between stuttering and intelligence.

-- Myth: Stuttering can be "caught" through imitation or by hearing another person stutter, but the reality is people can't "catch" stuttering and research indicates that family history, neurological development, a child's environment and family dynamics all play a role in the onset of stuttering.

-- Myth: Stress causes stuttering, but the reality is that while stress is not the cause, it can aggravate stuttering.

© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Chicago Auto Show The making of the Oscars Mercedes-Benz fashion week In New York
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China The White House Science Fair Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade
Additional Health News Stories
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
Twins in yearlong quarantine. No, they don't want any Doublemint gum
The Marines are apparently doing things we think only happen in Rambo movies
Remember back in the day when you had to walk to school, barefoot, uphill both ways, in the snow?...
Time to load up on beer, milk, bread and beer, north Atlanta is in for massive blizzard with up...
Bill would force teachers to comply with FCC regulations. in related news, Miss Lipshiatz is about...
When you yell "bingo," you better be damn sure you have bingo. Cause if you don't, we will find...