home Folk remedies Stuttering has no cure. What is stuttering, causes and methods of self-correction. How to quickly overcome anxiety

Stuttering has no cure. What is stuttering, causes and methods of self-correction. How to quickly overcome anxiety

Why people suffer from stuttering and how they can help with this problem, speech therapist, candidate of medical sciences Elena SERGEEVA told MK.

Imitating adults

Mostly children face the problem of stuttering. Most often they are 2-5 year olds, very rarely - primary school students, and even less often - teenagers. Stuttering can last from several months to several years. The most common reasons that cause stuttering are:

severe fear;
constant unfair and rude attitude towards the child (threats, punishments, endless shouting);
a sudden change in the situation in the family for the worse (frequent quarrels between parents in the presence of the child);
consequences of past infectious diseases when the body is weakened.

Sometimes children who begin to speak early become stutterers: their parents read to them too much, and constantly ask them to repeat what they read, or, what is much worse, force them to speak in front of an unfamiliar large audience. Fear becomes an obstacle to normal speech.

Stuttering It can also occur in those children who have been in contact with stutterers for a long time; these kids simply imitate their friends.
In an adult, the causes of stuttering usually come down to sudden grief, tragedy, severe fear: a sudden plane crash that ended in an emergency landing, the death of a loved one right before our eyes, the death of a beloved animal, divorce, scandals in the family, etc.

BY THE WAY, some medical scientists believe that stuttering is explained by organic disorders: people who stutter have a different type of auditory perception, as a result of which they hear their own speech a little late (by a fraction of a second). And some psychoanalysts assure: stuttering is a symptom of a serious internal conflict or unmet needs, a consequence of attempts to prevent the expression of forbidden thoughts and feelings. The simplest example is a teenager looking at “those” magazines, and his mother walking in at the most inopportune moment.

Scary words

The hardest thing for people with speech impairments is speaking in public. This is double stress. When repeating sounds or syllables, many remain silent for a long time and stubbornly, draw out sounds unnaturally, grimace, and some develop tics. Stuttering intensifies with excitement, weakens in a calm environment.

In addition, people who stutter often have a fear of various words or sounds, and they tend to use synonyms or figurative expressions to avoid frightening words. They experience irritation towards listeners when they try to suggest a word, and avert their eyes during moments of particularly convulsive speech. This is a normal psychological reaction and should be treated with understanding.

How will we treat?

Children often “recover from stuttering” spontaneously, without any measures from doctors and specialists. It’s just that as the body matures and strengthens, the nervous system stabilizes, and everything “by itself” returns to normal.

Recovery for adults who stutter is a process that takes place over time and requires daily practice for about an hour a day. Instant healing is a myth.

Normal speech can only be achieved as a result of long-term efforts by the person himself.

Typically, a psychotherapist, a neurologist and a speech therapist are involved in the treatment of stuttering. It all comes down to developing the skills of correct speech and overcoming fears.

The speech therapist (usually a speech pathologist) directly works on speech. Its task is to ensure the correct speech regime: almost all people who stutter are able to speak fluently, but under a number of conditions. For example, if they read in unison with someone, sing, whisper, or speak in a dialect, or significantly change their voice, breathing, or manner of speaking.

As for the psyche and emotional sphere of a person, this is taken on by the psychotherapist. His task is to eliminate the inferiority complex, help the patient feel psychologically comfortable and do everything possible so that everything is harmonious in a person’s relationships with others. When being next to a person who stutters, it is important to calm him down, help him relax, say kind words, without babying him and creating a normal atmosphere of friendly communication.
Often, when treating stuttering, they resort to medications, physical therapy, and acupuncture. Naturally, all this should be used only as directed by a doctor.

As for hypnosis, we must take into account why a person stutters. If it is a result of mental trauma, it will help. If there is some kind of organic disorder - no.

USEFUL EXERCISE

Everyone knows Krylov’s famous fable “The Crow and the Fox,” and so, in addition to the fact that this fable is instructive, it was discovered that it directly affects a stutterer. If you read this fable into a chant, not pronouncing it, but drawing out the words, as if you were trying to sing it, 4-7 times a day, then after a week you will feel that you speak easier, and a month after daily training you can get rid of stuttering . If stuttering remains, it will be barely noticeable.

Stuttering can be prevented by:

it is very important that the child always hears correct speech;
You should not read scary fairy tales to children at night, as this can cause a feeling of constant fear in the child: he is afraid to see Baba Yaga, the Gray Wolf, etc.;
You cannot over-indulge children and fulfill any of their whims. The requirements for a child must correspond to his age, always be the same, constant from everyone around him, both in the family and in kindergarten and school.

FACTS ABOUT STUTTERING

One percent of the world's population, or 60 million out of six billion people, stutter.

It is curious that usually when alone with himself, a stutterer speaks without defects.
People who stutter sing well.

A person’s speech movements are closely related to the movements of the whole body, therefore, for a person who stutters, music and dance classes are very important, which contribute to the development of correct speech breathing, a sense of tempo, and rhythm.

Stuttering leads to character changes. A person becomes highly dependent on his illness, and he develops a fear of speech. A vicious circle arises: stuttering causes anxiety, anxiety causes even more stuttering, etc. The person suffers greatly. Some people who stutter say that they would prefer to be completely mute, if only they could calmly express their thoughts without hesitation.

The ancient Greek orator Demosthenes, who suffered from a stutter, got rid of the defect by working on himself every day: he put pebbles in his mouth and tried to speak with them.

Stuttering in adults is a rather rare, but no less unattractive phenomenon that can have various roots. It is not for nothing that ancient healers and scientists, and even modern luminaries of medicine, pay such close attention to it in the search for possible causes and effective methods for solving the problem of this speech disorder in both children and adults.

ICD-10 code

F98.5 Stuttering [stammering]

Epidemiology

Methods of modern non-infectious epidemiology make it possible to determine as accurately as possible the level of prevalence of stuttering among various segments of the population. According to various authors, the percentage of stutterers among schoolchildren ranges from 1.5 to 2.2%. By adolescence, this speech disorder persists in approximately 1% of children.

Among the adult population, this figure ranges from 1-3%. Moreover, stuttering occurs 3.5-4 times more often among men than among women.

Stuttering that occurs in adulthood, if it is not associated with organic brain damage, manifests itself only in communication with others. Talking “to oneself” no longer has those speech defects; a person communicates mentally freely. This suggests that such stuttering should be easy to treat.

Causes of stuttering in adults

Stuttering in childhood is, one might say, common. Such a speech disorder, according to various sources, can be observed in 2-9% of children aged 2-4 years. The reason for this may be both physiological characteristics of the development of the body and stressful conditions. Sometimes parents' wrong actions in developing their child's speech can lead to stuttering in a child. But if problems with speech activity in early childhood do not entail any special problems in the child’s socialization, then at an older age stuttering can cause psychological disorders: the child becomes withdrawn, uncommunicative, and feels like an outcast in the group.

Stuttering in adults has slightly different consequences. This is not only psychological discomfort in communication. Smooth speech with correct pronunciation of words is one of the components of the image of a successful person. Stuttering in most cases is a serious obstacle to building a career, as well as creating a family and achieving personal happiness.

And yet, stuttering, even in adulthood, is completely treatable. This is not such a rare phenomenon, and many famous personalities, like ordinary people, have long said goodbye to the problem of stuttering, which has haunted them since childhood or made itself felt in adulthood.

Stuttering is a speech disorder associated with numerous short-term spasms of the muscles of the speech apparatus. The human speech apparatus consists of:

respiratory section (lungs, bronchi, trachea),
active organs of speech (tongue, lips, soft palate, vocal cords, uvula),
passive organs (teeth, pharynx, larynx and other fixed parts of organs involved in the formation of sounds and words).

The main causes of stuttering in adults can be the following:

Organic brain damage. Some diseases of the head and central nervous system (stroke, brain tumors, meningitis, etc.), as well as head injuries, can lead to stuttering due to insufficient conduction of nerve impulses. With this form of stuttering, the manifestations of convulsive syndrome of the facial muscles and respiratory muscles are especially pronounced. During a conversation, patients can perform active actions with various parts of the body: fingering their fingers, swaying or nodding their heads, etc.
Neurotic reasons. Stuttering in adults can occur under the influence of a stressful situation or severe emotional experiences. A person may be very frightened of something, witness a crime, worry about his relatives or experience their death, or find himself in a situation that causes a state of shock. Sometimes speech disorder occurs due to strong anxiety before a performance or competition. The neurotic form of stuttering, as a rule, has a short course.
Insufficient treatment of early stuttering in childhood. Sometimes parents, listening to the advice of experienced people, think that stuttering will go away on its own, but there is no improvement, and the disease becomes chronic with muscle spasms. The treatment of such conditions is already longer; you need to have the necessary patience to go through it to the bitter end.
Heredity. This can include both generic physiological characteristics and a hereditary predisposition to certain brain diseases that cause disturbances in the functioning of the speech apparatus, and even a tendency to stutter due to nervousness.

It is the cause of stuttering in adults that often influences the duration of its treatment. And, of course, the persistence and desire of the patient himself.

Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of stuttering in adults, as well as in children, has not yet been sufficiently studied. There are various theories: psychogenic, genetic, semantic, which try to explain the origin and pattern of development of the pathological process. Recently, scientists have tended to believe that more than one factor is usually involved in the development of stuttering. This makes it difficult to determine the exact cause of stuttering.

However, recent studies confirm the influence of hereditary factors on the likelihood of stuttering. 17.5% of patients with neurotic stuttering have a genetic predisposition to its occurrence.

Symptoms of stuttering in adults

It is simply impossible not to pay attention to the onset of stuttering in an adult. After all, what is the norm for a young child may be a deviation from this very norm for an adult. The first signs of stuttering: frequent hesitation before saying something, uncertainty and the desire to avoid a long conversation, intermittent pronunciation of sounds and words. Often at this stage people try, if possible, to get away with a nod of the head and avoid public speaking.

The main symptoms of neurotic stuttering in adults appear as:

Multiple repetitions of certain words, individual syllables or even sounds.
Unusual lengthening of sounds in words.
An increase in the volume of speech not associated with semantic and emotional load, especially at the beginning of a word.
A noticeable tense expression on the face and too tense neck muscles when speaking.
Feelings of lack of air when talking, spasmodic breathing.
Frequent desire to avoid communication.

Very often, a person who stutters becomes noticeably nervous before starting a conversation or gets upset if he needs to communicate in public.

Forms

Stuttering in adults can be divided into several types based on the following characteristics:

Course of the disease.
Clinical manifestations of the disease (etiology).
Characteristics of speech muscle spasms.

Based on the nature of the disease, the following types of stuttering can be distinguished:

Permanent.

Once it occurs, speech impairment is present in any situation involving the need to communicate through speech.

Wavy.

This type of stuttering is characterized by the fact that speech problems periodically disappear and reappear. This is usually associated with emotional situations and strong excitement.

Recurrent or recurrent.

Stuttering can disappear for a long period without showing itself in any way, and then return again.

According to the characteristics of seizures, there are 3 types of stuttering:

Clonic stuttering in adults, when multiple spasms of the speech muscles, coming one after another, cause involuntary duplication of consonant sounds, individual syllables and even words.
Tonic stuttering is associated with prolonged strong contraction of the muscles of the mouth and throat, which leads to delayed speech, extended pauses between words, repetition of vowel sounds and some consonants (in Russian they are called sonorant).
Mixed type with manifestations of symptoms of the previous 2 types.

And finally, according to clinical manifestations, stuttering can be divided into 2 types:

Neurotic stuttering in adults or logoneurosis, which is caused by stressful situations.
Neuro-like (organic) stuttering due to the development of organic brain damage (oxygen starvation, birth injuries, strokes, tumor and inflammatory processes in the brain, etc.). The symptoms of such stuttering are stable and do not depend on the emotional state. Typically, speech impairment in such patients is accompanied by convulsions and twitching of the facial muscles, additional movements of the head, fingers and the entire body that do not have emotional confirmation.

Logoneurosis can be either permanent or temporary, depending on the psychological state of the patient. If a person is nervous or anxious, stuttering symptoms may worsen. And, conversely, a state of rest reduces the manifestations of speech pathology. Sometimes, in order for a person to stop stuttering, it is enough to give him warm tea or a small amount of alcohol, let him listen to relaxing music, or simply provide psychological support and calm.

Neurotic stuttering can be easily corrected and treated, however, it requires timely professional help to avoid undesirable consequences and complications. If treatment is not started in time, stuttering can take a chronic form when a person has established incorrect behavior patterns and speech skills. Over time, the patient may develop a fear of communication, causing severe anxiety and associated symptoms of stuttering. In addition, nervous reactions of the face and body can join speech disorders, self-doubt and rapid fatigue from talking appear, and mood deteriorates.

Perhaps it is for this reason that stuttering in adults, which has its roots in childhood, is much more difficult and longer to treat. Whatever the initial cause, neurotic or organic, the disease does not go away on its own with age, but becomes persistent, which makes treatment much more difficult. This means that treatment should begin at the first signs of stuttering in childhood.

Diagnosis of stuttering in adults

There is no need to rush to diagnose yourself or your family with stuttering. Small pauses between words during a conversation, rare repetitions of words and syllables are not at all an indicator of stuttering in adults. Such minor speech disturbances can be evidence of strong excitement, haste, or, conversely, thoughtfulness. Some aspects of speech (speaking in a sing-song manner, long pauses between words) may be distinctive features of a particular race or geographic region. Temperament can also contribute to changes in speech characteristics.

You can tentatively make or deny a diagnosis of stuttering by following a couple of tests:

Count the number of unnecessary pauses when speaking a text of 100 words. Up to 7 breaks are the norm. More than 10 pauses are a high probability of developing speech pathology.
Observe the facial expression. If your facial muscles look very tense when speaking, there is a possibility that you may have a speech disorder. This is also indicated by the presence of pauses between words lasting from 1 to 30 seconds.

These tests are not accurate research methods, and are only a reason to begin a more thorough professional diagnosis. Moreover, it is not enough to diagnose “stuttering”; you also need to determine what type (neurotic or neurosis-like) this speech disorder belongs to, since the correctness and effectiveness of the chosen treatment methods will depend on this.

To make a correct diagnosis, a medical specialist can prescribe various tests (blood and urine), as well as instrumental diagnostics that can identify organic brain lesions at various stages. Instrumental methods in this case include MRI (tomography) of the brain and electroencephalogram (EEG).

And yet it is not enough to distinguish between the two types of stuttering in adults. It is important to identify the cause of the speech disorder in order to understand which treatment methods will be most effective. It is the differential diagnosis with the participation of a speech therapist, psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, based on a complete history and the results of instrumental and laboratory studies, that can recreate the complete picture of the disease, establish or refute a hereditary predisposition to stuttering, and develop a plan for effectively combating this pathology.

Treatment of stuttering in adults

The problem of stuttering has several aspects in its solution that are related to the physiology, socialization and mental state of a person. And only complex treatment, covering all these aspects, can give good results. Home treatment with herbs and spells alone, which many parents of children who stutter are inclined to, leads to the fact that the problem is only aggravated by the transition to adulthood, when treatment is already complicated by incorrect habits and communication skills developed over the years.

The choice of treatment methods for stuttering in adults depends on whether the speech disorder is of a neurotic or organic type. The organic type of stuttering is generally a topic for a separate discussion. His treatment comes down to fighting the problem that gave birth to him. And since the cause of such stuttering is serious disorders in the functioning of the brain, often complicated by a genetic factor, treatment of stuttering and its root cause can take many months and years.

The neurotic type of stuttering in adults can be treated much easier and more successfully. But for him, an integrated approach is of great importance, including medication and folk treatment prescribed by a neurologist, as well as systematic work with a speech therapist, psychologist and psychotherapist who will help the patient restore the normal rhythm of speech, overcome fears, join the normal rhythm of life, and establish communication.

Method of treatment through medicines Its goal is to relieve convulsive syndrome and stabilize the work of the central nervous system, which is responsible for the onset of various nervous reactions. Tablets for stuttering in adults can be divided into 3 groups: nootropic (improve brain function), sedative (reduce nervous tension) and antispasmodics (have an anticonvulsant effect).

The first group of drugs includes a nootropic drug "Phenibut", which has a sedative and psychostimulating effect. In addition, Phenibut prevents the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels of the brain, the destruction of body cells and promotes their regeneration (renewal).

Doctors can prescribe this drug as therapy for both organic and neurotic stuttering to relieve an anxious-neurotic state, expressed in the form of fears, facial tics, fear of communication, etc.

Dosage and method of application. You can take Phenibut tablets at any time of the day, preferably after meals, swallowing the tablet whole. But the dosage of the drug (the usual single dose is 1-3 tablets), the number of doses per day (frequency of administration) and courses of treatment, as well as the duration of treatment can only be prescribed by the attending physician, based on the indications, age of the patient and tolerability of the components of the drug.

Contraindications to the use of the drug include pregnancy and lactation, liver failure, and hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. The drug has virtually no side effects. At the beginning of taking the tablets, you may experience drowsiness. The same symptom, especially in combination with nausea and vomiting, may indicate an overdose of the drug.

When taking Phenibut for a long time, you need to monitor morphological blood parameters and liver function. May affect reaction speed.

Sedatives include Glycine, Afobazol and Grandaxin. “Glycine” acts as a regulator of metabolic processes in the brain, and “Grandaxin” and “Afobazol” have a pronounced sedative effect (tranquilizers).

"Afobazol"- a tranquilizer that does not cause addiction. Its action is aimed at eliminating anxiety, fear, apprehension, and associated nervous, muscular and respiratory reactions. It is recommended to take the drug after meals in the amount of 1-2 tablets (10 mg) three times a day. Typically, the course of treatment lasts 14-28 days, but if necessary, the doctor can increase the dosage (up to 60 mg per day) and the duration of the course (up to 3 months).

Contraindications to the use of Afobazol include pregnancy and breastfeeding, individual intolerance to the drug or its individual components, as well as age under 18 years. Side effects include possible reactions of the immune system with increased sensitivity to the drug.

Taking herbal sedatives, such as Dormiplant and Novopassit, also has a positive effect on the nervous system.

"Novopassit"- a drug based on a rich herbal collection (valerian, lemon balm, St. John's wort, hawthorn, etc.) with a good sedative (sedative) and anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) effect. Available in the form of tablets or solution (syrup).

Dosage and method of application. The usual single dose is 1 tablet or teaspoon of syrup (5 ml), pure or diluted with water. You need to take the drug three times a day before meals. If taking the drug causes depression and depression, the morning and evening doses are halved, and the daytime dose is left the same. If such a need arises, the doctor may double the standard dose of the drug. If nausea occurs, it is better to take the drug with food.

Contraindications to the use of Novopassit: age under 12 years, myasthenia gravis (genetic neuromuscular disease), individual intolerance to the drug or its components. Side effects: disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract (heartburn, sometimes nausea and vomiting, changes in stool density), less often dizziness and drowsiness, as well as allergic manifestations and weakness.

Precautionary measures. During treatment with the drug you should not drink alcohol. Caution should be exercised in patients with liver, stomach and intestinal diseases. The drug has a negative effect on concentration.

If after a week there is no noticeable improvement or the symptoms worsen, you should immediately consult a doctor to prescribe another drug.

Among the antispasmodics for stuttering in adults, doctors most often prescribe "Mydocalm", "Magnerot" and "Finlepsin" in combination with vitamin B preparations.

The anticonvulsant drug Magnerot replenishes magnesium deficiency in the body, which is the cause of seizures and increased excitability. Taking the medicine can be divided into 2 stages:

Seven-day course: 2 tablets 3 times a day,
Starting from the second week: 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.

The full course of treatment lasts from 2 to 4 weeks, sometimes more. The tablets are taken with a small amount of water before meals.

Contraindications: kidney and liver diseases, bladder stones, lactose intolerance and lactase deficiency, age under 18 years, as well as individual intolerance to the drug. Side effects: among the most common are: changes in the frequency and quality of stool and the reaction of the immune system.

In addition to drug treatment, patients with logoneurosis are recommended to undergo psychotherapeutic sessions using sedative techniques, treatment with hypnosis, and acupuncture. At such sessions, patients are helped to cope with the fear of speech, increase self-esteem, correctly accept their problem and take a responsible approach to overcoming it.

Next they join the therapy classes with a speech therapist, which either corrects existing speech skills or instills new, correct ones. Approximately half an hour after these classes, massage treatments are prescribed. Massage for stuttering in adults is presented in the form of reflexology (acupressure) and osteopathy (soft massage effects on muscles) procedures, which have a positive effect on the articulatory vocal apparatus and the respiratory system.

At the third stage of treatment of stuttering in adults, therapeutic exercises, a swimming pool, and a sauna are added to the above procedures.

There are many different methods of complex impact on the problem of stuttering with various speech training systems, ranging from one-on-one communication to public speaking within a team (a group of patients with the same problem).

Physiotherapeutic treatment of stuttering, in addition to reflexology and osteopathy, includes:

Procedures that normalize the tone of the facial muscles (darsonvalization of the muscles of the face and neck - exposure of the muscles to alternating current of high frequency and voltage, but of low strength, and short-term exposure to sinusoidal currents on the larynx area)
Procedures for restoring and optimizing the functions of the central nervous system (electrosleep therapy, therapeutic baths and massage, franklinization, alpha massage, various types of relaxation).

Treatment of stuttering in adults at home

Many patients, and most often their relatives, are inclined to treat stuttering at home. Such, frankly, irresponsible attitude towards the problem of speech impairment can lead to a worsening of the situation. After all, at home it is not possible to implement an integrated approach to the treatment of stuttering in adults. In addition, the lack of control on the part of the doctor can affect the patient’s attitude towards treatment, the systematicity of taking medications and carrying out procedures.

However, if you really insist on home treatment, you first need to learn some elements of self-help, such as auto-training (self-hypnosis), self-massage of the face and neck (therapeutic!), as well as breathing exercises, for example, according to the Strelnikova method, which is based on the use of yoga elements.

Breathing exercises are aimed at normalizing both nasal and oral breathing, because without the skills to optimize breathing during a conversation, it is very difficult for a patient to cope with stuttering. Various breathing exercises for stuttering in adults, according to Strelnikova’s system, should be based on proper breathing during movements: a sharp inhalation and a long, calm, silent exhalation, the active participation of the diaphragm in the respiratory process. All active movements (squats, head turns, torso bends) are performed only while inhaling.

Speech gymnastics at home. This exercise helps develop proper breathing during a conversation.

Try reading the Russian folk tale “The Turnip,” taking a breath in between words.
Taking a short breath with your mouth open, pronounce one of the vowel sounds as you exhale until there is enough air in your lungs.
Try the same with several vowel sounds, pronouncing them one after another.
Try counting to 10 as you exhale, gradually increasing the count.
Read various sayings, proverbs and tongue twisters in one exhalation, which helps train breathing and more quickly get rid of stuttering in adults and children.

Examples of tongue twisters for training speech and breathing:

There is grass in the yard, there is firewood on the grass: one firewood, two firewood - do not cut wood on the grass of the yard.
Advertising for grips has seams with coverage, but potholders without coverage have been snatched up.
Our head has out-headed your head, out-headed.

In addition to proverbs and tongue twisters, you can try singing songs known from childhood. Cheerful and kind, they will lift your spirits, help you relax as much as possible, and teach you how to breathe correctly when speaking.

Folk remedies for stuttering in adults

What does traditional medicine offer us to help quickly cure stuttering in adults? Aromatherapy, self-massage, recipes for mixtures, infusions and decoctions of herbs and fruits, honey recipes, as well as spells and prayers - these are the main methods of treating stuttering, known since ancient times.

It is worth noting that on their own they are unlikely to be able to effectively cope with the problem of stuttering, but in combination with traditional medicine methods they will undoubtedly have a positive effect. Some folk methods, such as conspiracies or prayers, may seem dubious to many, but they also have a right to exist. Since logoneurosis is based on mental trauma, an important factor in treatment is faith. The patient must believe that using these methods he can be healed. Conspiracies and prayers are a kind of instilling in a person of confidence in himself and his abilities. If a person does not believe in the effectiveness of these methods, then there is no point in using them.

Another thing aromatherapy. No faith is required here; essential oils, which have a sedative effect and can relieve nervous tension and calm fears, will do all the work. Oils of bergamot and pine, rose and sandalwood, rosemary and basil, thyme and wormwood, sage and geranium, and, of course, lavender have such actions. To do this, you need to drop the oil on a scarf and inhale its aroma for a while. This procedure must be carried out three times a day.

Aromatic oils mixed with kefir can also be used for bathing. To do this, take 100 g of fermented milk product and add 5-6 drops of any of the above essential oils to it. The oil-kefir mixture is added directly to a bath of warm water.

Stuttering in adults can be treated with decoctions of the fruit. A compote made from apple peels boiled in clean water for 5 minutes has a pronounced calming effect. You can add lemon balm infusion to it or simply drink it with sugar or honey.

By the way, honey also has a wonderful sedative effect, known in ancient times. For example, Avicenna recommended lubricating the tongue with a mixture of honey and mumiyo 3 times a day (the proportion for the mixture is 5:1).

A similar treatment option can be found in “grandmother’s” recipes. You need to prepare 2 mixtures of mumiyo and honey in different proportions (1:8 and 1:5). Mumiyo should be taken in an amount of 0.2 grams. The first mixture (concentrated) is taken in the morning, the second (weaker) in the evening for 4 months.

A mixture of viburnum, lemon, cabbage and rosehip juices, taken in equal proportions with the addition of double the amount of honey (1:1:1:1:1:2) also has a positive effect on stuttering. You need to take the mixture twice a day: 1 tbsp in the morning and evening. l., eating seeds or almonds.

Herbs in the form of decoctions and infusions are also effective remedies for stuttering in adults. And many herbal recipes only confirm this. Here are some of them:

Recipe 1. Fragrant rue. Pour 5 g of chopped herb into 2 cups of boiling water and let it boil for 5 minutes. Strain the broth and cool slightly. Keep the hot broth in your mouth until it cools completely (2-3 hours). We repeat the procedure very often (at least 6 times a day).
Recipe 2. White ash tree. Pour boiling water over the leaves of the plant and leave for 20 minutes, then strain. Use the infusion to rinse your mouth (3-5 minutes) 5-6 times a day.
Recipe 3. Calming collection. Prepare a herbal mixture of chamomile, mint, nettle and valerian, pour a teaspoon of the herbal mixture with a glass of boiling water and keep warm for 15 minutes. You should drink half a glass of the infusion twice a day.
Recipe 4. Herbal mixture to inhibit the reactions of the nervous system. Birch leaves, licorice, lemon balm, sweet clover and calendula flowers are taken in equal proportions. The crushed herbs are poured with boiling water and heated in a water bath without boiling. Infused for 2 hours and filtered through gauze, take before meals 5-6 times a day.
Recipe 5. “Intoxicating” decoction. To prepare a medicine that relieves brain spasms, you need to take a glass of any wine and bring to a boil along with a pinch of cinquefoil herb. Leave until completely cooled, then strain. The decoction should be drunk warm. Instead of wine, you can use milk in the decoction, but in no case water, which reduces the therapeutic effect of the product to zero.

This is only a small fraction of all the traditional medicine recipes that our ancestors used with varying degrees of effectiveness. And the fact that they have survived to our times speaks in their favor.

There are many folk remedies and traditional medicine methods that, as part of complex therapy, can cure stuttering in adults. However, a visible positive result can be obtained only if the patient has a strong desire to get rid of the rhythmic speech defect. Relatives and friends can provide significant psychological support and assistance in treating a patient with speech disorders. Treatment for an adult can be lengthy and you need to be prepared for this, be patient and activate your willpower. And then victory over the disease will definitely come.

As a speech therapist, I sometimes have to deal with situations when a father or mother, with tear-stained eyes, talk about how yesterday everything was fine, but today the child began to stutter and they don’t know how to get rid of stuttering. Or an adult who has suffered from this speech disorder since childhood gets the job of his dreams. And on the way to the coveted position, there is a damned illness.

However, there is no need to panic. There are certain methods, by studying which you may find the answer to the question “How to get rid of stuttering?” Although, with such a complex speech disorder, you should under no circumstances refuse the help of specialists.

What is stuttering? Secrets of our brain

According to the theory of speech production, the speech process is a kind of circle of information transfer between three brain centers located in the cerebral cortex - speech (Broca's center), auditory (Wernicke's center) and associative.

With the help of the associative center, we select the necessary words, arrange them in the required sequence, that is, we build a phrase. From the associative center, information is transmitted to the speech center, which processes it, emits the required number of nerve impulses and sends them to the muscles of the speech apparatus (lips, tongue, vocal cords, larynx), as well as the muscles involved in the act of breathing (diaphragm and chest) . A person exhales and speaks, while information in the form of speech enters the auditory center. Auditory control makes it possible to judge the correctness of speech, and if everything is pronounced correctly, information about this is returned to the associative center. This is a signal for the construction of the next phrase.

From this diagram it becomes clear that smooth speech is possible only when all three centers work synchronously, that is, when they transmit information at the same speed. When stuttering, this synchrony is disrupted. The “culprit” for this is Broca’s speech center. For various reasons, its activity is significantly increased, which causes it to produce more nerve impulses and transmit them to the muscles of the speech apparatus. This causes their additional contractions, which, when exhaling, leads to the appearance of convulsive stuttering.

There are two main forms of speech cramps:

Clonic – convulsions that cause numerous speech repetitions (lo-lo-lo-zhka, ku-ku-ku-kla);
Tonic – convulsions that hinder speech movements for a long time (t…….axe, m……..machine);

Most often, both forms occur in the speech of a stutterer.

4 main causes of stuttering

The most common reason (67.5%) is fear. Very often, out of fright, people lose, as they say, “the power of speech.” Most for seconds, and many for many years.

If stuttering occurs immediately after psychological trauma, the following conclusions can be drawn:

- psychological trauma is the true cause of stuttering;
— psychological trauma is a trigger (perhaps there was a neurological predisposition);

In second place are bruises and injuries (27.5%).
Infectious diseases and imitations.
Predisposing reasons. Among them, age occupies a special place. Children between two and five years old often suffer from stuttering. It has also been observed that boys are more likely to stutter than girls. And another predisposing reason is heredity. This is expressed in multiple cases of the disease in the family.

1 Tip. Learn to do self-massage. Massage is very useful for stuttering, as it has several very important functions. Activates nerve endings, dilates peripheral blood vessels, and has a positive effect on the nervous and other systems of the body.

First you need to perform hygienic self-massage. It is performed using the stroking method. Relaxes all muscles of the body, including facial and speech muscles. Weakened muscles, on the contrary, are activated after this massage.

Massage technique.

We carry out light, stroking movements from the middle of the forehead to the temples;
From the middle of the forehead to the temples and around and under the eyes to the bridge of the nose;
From the wings of the nose to the ears;
We stroke our cheeks in a circular motion, clockwise;
We stroke the neck;
Arms, shoulders towards the body;
Abdomen in a clockwise circular motion.

We do vibration self-massage using vigorous tapping.

Vibration massage technique.

Along the forehead with the pronouncement of the sound M, along the upper lip with the pronouncement of the sound B, along the wings of the nose with the pronouncement of the sound M.
Along the lower lip with the sound Z;
Along the upper chest with the sound Z;
On the back left and right on the sound M.

Vibration self-massage is best done while standing. Then take 5-10 slow and calm breaths in and out.

You can download a full range of massage and articulation gymnastics in the section

2 Tip. Develop and strengthen the muscles involved in the speech process. To do this, you need to perform exercises for the mouth, jaw, lips and tongue.

Exercise 1. Open your mouth wide. The first condition for clear and fluent speech is a freely and widely opening mouth. Starting position - the mouth is closed, the lips and jaws are relaxed, the tongue lies flat, freely touching the lower front teeth. We inhale through our nose, while keeping our mouth closed, and pronounce the sound A (aaaaaa) for a long time, then the sound U (uuuuuu), O (oooooo), Y (yyyyyy).

Exercise 2. Show your teeth by stretching your lips in a wide smile. Repeat 5-6 times.

Exercise 3. Pulling the lips “into the proboscis.” We pronounce the sound U for a long time. We turn the “proboscis” several times to the right, left, up and down (counting 1, 2, 3, 4 slowly), then in a circle - to the right, to the left. Repeat 3-4 times.

Exercise 4. Open your mouth wide. We turn the tongue to the right, then to the left. Repeat 4-5 times.

3 Tip. Practice your diction. Special attention is required to train the lips and tongue, which should become mobile, easily controlled and elastic.

Practice pronouncing syllables, words, small phrases and texts. It is very useful to squeeze a small plug between your teeth so that the inside does not touch the tongue and the teeth are exposed. And in this position, train diction.

If a child is doing this exercise, then so that he does not get scared, you can tell him that you are playing with crocodiles. Do the exercise with your child.

You need to start with the sounds Y, N, N, K, K, G, G, D, D, L, L, D, D, connecting them with vowels, that is, with those sounds that do not involve the lips when pronouncing. For example,

laga-lada-lapa-lana
lago-lado-lalo-lano
lagu-ladoo-lalu-lanu

Then we move on to pronouncing words and phrases. It is best to do this in tongue twisters. Tongue twisters are pronounced quickly, continuously, with multiple repetitions of individual words and the entire phrase.

In my article, you will find many interesting and funny tongue twisters for practicing diction.

4 Tip. Learn to whisper. The paradox has long been known that many people who stutter whisper and speak completely normally.

Toned speech and declamation. Here we include the simplest toned speech, rhythmic speech, monotonous and speech in a low voice.

The simplest form of toned speech is the addition of a spoken word to each sound, which essentially amounts to a change in its syllabic composition. The word “fear” turns into the three-syllable “se-te-rah”.

Monotonous speech is speech that lacks the natural rise and fall of the voice. Such speech is one of the means that reduce stuttering very significantly, but not as certainly as rhythmic speech. The effect of low pitch in reducing stuttering has long been known.

5 Tip. Try speaking more slowly. Slow speech is one of the surest means for eliminating attacks of stuttering and in this respect is not much inferior to rhythmic speech, having over the latter all the advantages of a more natural influence, without striking the listener with its artificiality, like rhythmic speech.

There are three types of toned speech, namely slow speech, monotonous speech and low voice speech.

6 Tip. Combine these three types of speech. Speak slowly, in a low, monotonous tone. This advice will probably seem a little awkward to you, but you are not invited to say this all the time. So you need to practice pronouncing texts, words, tongue twisters. And the more, the better.

7 Tip. Breathe correctly. It is believed that breathing is one of the few, if not the only functions that, on the one hand, ensure the vital activity of the body, and on the other, are amenable to effective volitional control. It is much easier to influence breathing than, say, the functioning of the heart or kidneys. The role of breathing in voice formation is fundamental. The lungs provide air support under the vocal cords, being the bellows and pipes of the human “organ”.

You can read more about the development of speech breathing in the article

Often the frequency and strength of speech spasms depends on whether the person speaks himself (answers questions or tells something) or whether he speaks together with someone, following a model. Reflected and conjugate speech.

8 Tip. We speak conjugately. Together with the teacher we pronounce phrases and words.

9 Tip. Retell fairy tales, stories, a movie or cartoon you saw.

The retelling already contains moments that make it easier for a stutterer to speak. Having remembered the sequence of presentation, he creates a model for himself. This is what helps in this case.

10 Tip. Tell yourself what you see.

The story is an independent speech and an integral part of working with people who stutter. Therefore, actively include it in your speech training.

People who stutter experience a certain relief when they accompany their speech with movements. Since movements are distracting factors in this case.

Other methods to get rid of stuttering

In order to get rid of such a serious illness as stuttering, it is necessary to use all available methods. Above, I tried to outline in the form of advice what needs to be done.

However, there are several other ways to combat stuttering that you can also use if you wish.

Acupressure;
Physiotherapeutic procedures include: mesodiencephalic modulation; electrosleep; magnetopuncture;
Treatment with decoctions, infusions and tinctures;
Devices and computer programs.

Conclusion

In speech therapy practice, specialists constantly have to deal with people who are not satisfied with the system of long and difficult work on themselves and their speech. There are always those who hope for the existence of some “super-remedies” that will allow them to immediately and forever get rid of stuttering. You can often hear questions:

How to get rid of stuttering with surgery? We heard that somewhere they are doing tongue surgery.

Typically, adults who stutter ask this question; rarely – parents of children who stutter.

Is surgery used these days to treat stuttering? No.

We can give many examples of our contemporaries - among them are doctors, artists, poets, journalists, politicians, scientists. For whom stuttering was not an insurmountable obstacle to the implementation of their life plans. It didn’t take me away from life in society, didn’t prevent me from discovering my talent, didn’t deprive me of life’s joy, vigor, or self-confidence. The main thing is their desire to live in harmony with the world and themselves. I wish the same for you with all my heart!

Good luck and patience!

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It is no secret that people who stutter face additional difficulties in life. It interferes with normal communication and socialization. This problem is especially relevant for children. There is currently no perfect treatment, but there are general recommendations that will help you figure out how to stop stuttering when nervous.

Causes of speech disorders under stress

Stuttering is understood as a speech disorder provoked by a convulsive state of the muscles of the speech apparatus, expressed in its tempo-rhythmic organization. In medicine, this disease is often called logoneurosis.

At the moment, the causes of stuttering have not been established. According to the results of recent studies, logoneurosis is generated by changes in the functioning of some structures of the nervous motor and speech centers - the superior frontal gyrus and Broca's center.

Types of nervous stuttering

There are two forms of stuttering:

neurosis-like;
neurotic.

The neurosis-like form of stuttering is caused by the presence of pathological disorders in the activity of brain structures that are responsible for speech, motor skills and articulation. This disease rarely manifests itself only during excitement. To treat it, it is necessary to use medications using various therapeutic techniques.

The neurotic form of stuttering is caused by psychological factors. These can be disorders (neuroses), traumatic experiences, stressful situations, fear, fright. This form is characterized by situational manifestation of symptoms, i.e., disturbances in speech appear mainly in moments of excitement.

Mechanism of psychological reaction

It is important to understand the mechanism that leads to stuttering. Excitement is an emotional state that manifests itself as a response of our psyche to any events that are happening, have happened or are expected in the future. This emotion forces our body to mobilize and prepare for possible consequences.

The state of excitement is accompanied by tension and muscle spasms. Convulsive contractions of the muscles of the speech apparatus lead to speech disorders. Tension affects breathing. Disruption of the natural breathing process is a key factor affecting speech.

Many people who have never stuttered often experience difficulty breathing and speaking when they are very nervous. Stuttering when excited is the result of muscle spasms when inhaling air.

Methods for solving speech problems

Based on the above reasons for the development of speech disorders, the following emerges: in order to stop stuttering when excited, you need to eliminate the root cause - the excitement itself. It is impossible to get rid of it in life, but yes, it is possible to train a competent reaction to the occurrence of this emotional state.

Stuttering when excited is a disease that has functional, personal and social aspects. For effective treatment, it is necessary to resort to comprehensive measures that include therapeutic, pedagogical and rehabilitation techniques.

Practiced methods of treatment:

sedative medications;
relaxing massage;
breathing and speech exercises;
psychological training on restructuring thinking.

To stop stuttering when nervous, you need to fulfill three basic conditions:

learn to control breathing;
minimize the effect of muscle contractions on speech;
to form a normal psychological attitude towards anxiety, communication, and stuttering.

How to control your breathing

A comprehensive speech therapy program for the treatment of stuttering includes 4 blocks.

Relaxation of the tongue and lips.
Control of facial muscle contractions.
Normalization of breathing through the diaphragm (stomach).
“Stretched” pronunciation of vowels.

Soft start method:

a small diaphragmatic breath;
pronunciation of certain sounds on a short exhalation.

Breathing exercises are one of the best remedies for speech disorders. If you're nervous or have a difficult conversation ahead of you, find a quiet place and do a simple exercise.

Starting position - standing, straightened with your arms down.
Bend forward, lowering your head and arms.
Inhale quickly in a bent position.
Incomplete raising of the body and head, inhalation and exhalation.
New bend and breath.
The exercise is done eight times, eight approaches each.

How to behave during a conversation

When talking, keep your arms, neck, shoulder girdle and back relaxed.
Don't mentally focus on stuttering. For others it is not a serious problem.
Speech during a conversation should be slow, with an emphasis on pauses and punctuation marks. Words must be pronounced in a low voice, in a monotonous tone.
Don't rush when talking. Rapid speech causes shortness of breath.
Breathing and speech are developed by singing, tongue twisters, and reading books out loud.
Conscious participation in public speaking.
Talk to yourself in front of the mirror in a slow and quiet voice for thirty minutes every day. It is important to get used to talking and contemplating the “interlocutor” at the same time. As you talk, remember this practice and calm down.
Positive thinking when speaking.
Writing down on a piece of paper specific words on which stuttering occurs. Training their pronunciation slowly and syllable by syllable.

How to quickly overcome anxiety

Tips to help you get rid of anxiety before a conversation:

take a strong breath through your mouth;
exhale slowly through the nose;
start speaking slowly, pronouncing the words.

It is worth remembering that there is no universal remedy for combating the disease in question. It is important to establish the causes and characteristics of stuttering and try proven methods of combating this disease.