Diagnosis

If stuttering is noticeable in a child, one should not wait for a sole improvement – this is usually never the case! Early therapy can stop or, in the best case, eliminate later difficulties in speaking. A detailed consultation as well as diagnosis takes place at a specialist (for pediatrics – ear, nose and throat medicine).

In the first place, the pediatrician is the contact person. If necessary, he will arrange for a referral to an ENT specialist or a speech therapist. Some ENT physicians have the additional title “Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology” and are usually familiar with the diagnosis and therapy of speech disorders and speech disorders.

Can stuttering be cured?

Stuttering is a speech disorder, which is curable in many cases. Stuttering can be treated in children as well as in advanced age. A stuttering therapy helps many of those affected to significantly improve their way of speaking.

An important aspect in the treatment of stuttering is the psyche. You can positively influence your fear of speaking through stuttering if you work on the avoidance behavior and the fear of speaking. A positive self-esteem and a healthy handling of stress have a positive effect on the speech disorder.

What is the therapy for stuttering? Since stuttering is extremely difficult to treat, especially in adulthood, it should be pointed out right at the beginning that there are many dubious healers and methods that offer a promising therapy at unspeakable prices. However, scientifically based therapies do exist and are usually supported by health insurance companies.

Speech therapists, psychologists, child adolescent psychiatrists and phoniatrists (main focus of ear, nose and throat doctors) have been thinking about the treatment of stuttering for decades and have developed the following approaches: Respiratory training The respiratory flow in particular is considerably disturbed in the affected person. Holding the breath, violent exhalation, unrestrained breaths make the flow of speech difficult. Exercises for rhythmic, relaxed breathing with simultaneous speech exercises can lead to a more relaxed situation and better speech control.

Speech and singing technique approach Interestingly, stuttering does not occur when singing. This fact can be put to therapeutic use. By means of singing, breathing and voice techniques, this therapy focuses on learning to speak more fluently.

Mental training Here, regular speaking and reading exercises are used to overcome fear and inhibition before speaking. Regularity and the training of self-confidence are the pillars of this therapy. It is assumed that old speech patterns are overlaid by learning new speech patterns.

Modification approach Behavioral therapy methods are intended to help the person concerned to accept his or her speech disorder. By means of situation and communication training within a group, anxiety and speech inhibition should be overcome. The goal is a modification of stuttering – i.e. an improvement of the stuttering symptoms – and not a complete cure.Other methods The following methods are used partly supportive and in combination with the other approaches. A therapy is individually tailored for each stutterer and always takes into account age, symptoms, prerequisites, intelligence etc. In addition, methods from the following areas are also used:

Hypnosis
Autogenic Training
Yoga
Muscle Relaxation
Play therapy, conflict resolution in the context of early intervention
Behavioral Therapy
Depth Psychology