I believe the majority of us have come across a stammerer or stutterer before.
Since the year 1998, every year on the 22nd of October the International Stuttering Awareness Day is observed by the Stammering associations, individuals, and groups around the world.
Events are organized to mark the day and raise awareness about stammering which affects more than 70 million people, or one percent of the population globally. The aim is to create more knowledge about the condition and mitigate the level of stigma attached to it.
This year’s theme is ” Speak the change you want to see”.
One may ask what is Stuttering? Stuttering, also called stammering, involves involuntary repetition, prolongation, and intermittent blocks of speech.
The causes of stuttering are still unknown but research shows that multiple factors contribute to stuttering. Among these includes the genetic factors or basics. A child is three times more likely to suffer from this condition if one of the parents is a stutterer. Some facts about this disorder:
- Stuttering can be congenital or develop over time due to imitation.
- It is four times prevalent in males than in females.
- About five percent of children experiences this condtion.
- It can be acute( happening for a short period of time) or chronic(persisting or occuring for a long period of time).
The good news is, there are Speech and language therapists to help treat or manage this disorder.
International Stuttering Awareness Day!
“Speak the change you want to see”
Be Informed and Educated today.
