| Imagine you are expected to perform public speaking at a very important conference. Or perhaps you have to do an oral in your English class. You stutter and have no idea how you are going to manage. Speech therapy has changed over the years and new techniques are being introduced to improve people’s ability to communicate with others.
“One of the latest programmes for persons who stutter, known as the McGuire Programme, has recently been introduced to South Africa. It is an incredible programme and I've seen the most amazing results,” says Julia Jensen, a speech therapist in Bloemfontein.
Jensen recently attended a conference in Johannesburg from 21 – 24 July 2005 that focused on the McGuire Programme. The aim of the course is to help those who stutter to become strong, eloquent speakers. The programme was developed 11 years ago by an American, David McGuire, and was brought to South Africa by Chris Meintjies, a recovering stutterer. British ‘Idols’ contestant, Gareth Gates, has done the course in the United Kingdom and he has proven very positive results.
The conference was exclusively presented and coached by recovering stutterers. It is a completely holistic programme and requires the evaluation of the stutt
erer’s own personal situation. It focuses on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual side of the stuttering process. The programme teaches self-acceptance (as a recovering stutterer) by overcoming various fears related to stuttering and it also explains how to deal with relapse if it occurs.
“I was witness to people who stuttered uncontrollably and couldn't even say their own names. By the end of the course, they were doing public speaking on a ‘soap box’ in the middle of crowded areas.
“Now that’s what I call a result,” says Jensen.
She emphasised how the programme is not a cure for those who stutter, but rather a method of controlling it.
What types of therapy are available?
Speech therapy plays an integral part in the lives of those who struggle to eat, breathe or talk properly, due to a language or communication impairment. “Speech can become impaired through head injuries, strokes, birth complications, neurological defects, syndromes, deafness, degenerative diseases such as Alzheimers, and yes... even alcohol,” according to Jensen.
A reasonably new device, the digital speech aid, helps those who stutter in becoming more fluent and articulate. The device is a small battery-operated device that uses a miniature microphone and is based on the concept of auditory feedback. The microphone detects the voice and processes it digitally. The processed sound is then relayed back into the speaker's ears via earphones or tiny amplifiers. The person is then able to monitor his/her own voice and make the necessary corrections.
Auditory verbal therapy is a type of therapy commonly used in the rehabilitation of children who are either born deaf or who have become deaf. Once hearing loss is identified, the child’s ear is fitted with the most appropriate amplification technology such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, and they start receiving therapy immediately.
During auditory verbal therapy, the therapist will attempt to stimulate the child’s ability to listen, by sitting next to the ear with the best hearing. She then encourages maximum use of the child’s current level of hearing by covering her lips, by using the ‘hand cue’, and expecting them to interpret speech. Jensen says such therapy helps to integrate hearing impaired children into the normal education system. “In this approach, parents are viewed as absolutely essential in the rehabilitation of their child's hearing and language defect,” says Jensen.
“Children with speech and language disorders are usually reassessed every six months. Many of the formal tests used to evaluate them are only valid within this period,” according to Jensen. “However, recovery may take months to years.”
Neurodevelopment treatment (NDT) is a complex therapy that involves working with those who suffer disorders of the central nervous system. People who have suffered a stroke, head injury, or cerebral palsy often require this therapy. NDT helps with movement and swallowing and assists the patient in becoming as independent as possible. Parents and caregivers are also trained so that NDT can be incorporated into the patient's daily routine.
Dysphagia therapy is given to patients who suffer with feeding and swallowing disorders, resulting from head injuries, strokes, and other diseases such as muscular dystrophy. During therapy, the therapist coaches the individual through exercise, various sitting positions and alternative swallowing techniques. Speech therapists will also adjust the food type and consistency to suit the patient’s needs. “The most important objective for the speech therapist is to have the individual be able to chew and swallow food and liquids without choking,” says Jensen.
What are the chances of full recovery?
Jensen stressed how vital it is that the patient, as well as his/her family, is motivated during the rehabilitation process. “Progress often depends on the willingness of the patient as well as the family to participate,” says Jensen. “If either party is reluctant or ‘lazy’, the chances that therapy will be unsuccessful, are high.”
The rehabilitation process can last anything from a few therapy sessions a week, to daily sessions. The intensity of such sessions depends on the disorder being treated.
Jensen says despite the advancing of techniques, recovery depends on the situation of the patient. “For instance, a child who has a language delay due to recurring middle ear infections or a child that struggles to pronounce the ‘s’ sound, may improve and completely recover within months, or perhaps even weeks of receiving therapy.
“However, an elderly person who has suffered a stroke and consequently suffers from memory loss, and struggles to understand complex conversations may take more time to recover,” according to Jensen. She says there is a possibility for such patients to completely overcome their difficulties.
Once a speech, language, or hearing affliction is noticed, Jensen advises to call for the assistance of a speech therapist immediately. In the case of a child, see a paediatrician who will then refer you to the correct speech therapist. In the case of an older person, contact your nearest GP. They should refer you to a speech therapist in your area.
One must bear in mind that a child's most important years with regards to language development is from birth up until the age of five. “Therapy during this stage is of utmost value,” according to Jensen.
Tips on speech improvement
Here are 12 tips on how you can assist your child or family member in speech development:
- Talk, interact, and listen to the person every day.
- Respond to the person when they initiate a conversation.
- Encourage naming of objects - this helps to develop vocabulary.
- Encourage the person to express themselves in words rather than gestures.
- Talk to the person on his/her own level of understanding. Make use of short utterances and simple syntax for toddlers and young children.
- Encourage reading of educational books, rhymes, and poems. Attempt to instil a love for literature.
- Avoid too much TV.
- Talk in full sentences to the person - be a good speech model to them.
- Establish and maintain eye-contact when talking to the person.
- Encourage taking turns during conversations. One person must not hog the conversation.
- Encourage the person to express themselves in words and sounds rather than just gestures.
- With your child, encourage silly baby rhymes. These teach them to learn and acquire various voice pitches and tones.
(Matthew Louw, Health24, August 2005)
For more information on the McGuire Programme, contact Chris Meintjies, Regional Director of the McGuire Programme at 072 758 3705 or visit www.mcguireprogramme.com
Read more:
How stutterers process language
Clues to the causes behind stuttering
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