Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Candy for kids?

I know I haven't been active for a few days. Too much work. I am writing my final essay in the neuroscience Master course on Cognitive Neuropsychology (Damaged Brains) and Connectionist Modelling (Neural Networks). And I have the CFA (chartered financial analyst) level II exam with 3000 pages beginning of June! I am way way behind schedule... Why do I do all these exams? Is PhD not enough?

As I said, I have no time. So I just listened to StutterTalk's interview with Barry Guitar. He is using voluntary stuttering with kids. If they voluntarily stutter, they get candy. Interesting idea... You instil positive or overwrite negative associations about stuttering into kids. Does this mean that they are more relaxed about their stuttering and therefore will stutter less or at the very least handle stuttering better? Or do they now stutter more because they have positive associations? It might well be more effective that the Lidcombe approach of just praising the kids or giving neutral feedback.

I am also amazed at his turn-around. I witnessed him praising a lot research on temperament and reactivity of stuttering kids and how it can explain non-recovery. And now I hear him talking about the great progress in brain imaging on stuttering kids, and how a bad neurology is really at the core of the problem! Is he starting to read my blog or what?? To be honest, he seems to be really getting into it. Now I am even concerned he is pushing the neuro stuff too far and ignoring the behavioural issues that come into existence due to the neurology and take on a life of its own!

In general, I am getting more concerned that the wave is splashing to the other extreme: from purely behavioural to purely neurological. I firmly believe that you need both. Sure, the source of stuttering is clearly neurological, but I also believe that most stuttering behaviour is independent of a neurological momentary delay and is behavioural: a natural reaction to delays in speech initiation which got associated to words, settings and situations.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Geetar uses candy to reward voluntary stuttering by kids... the stuttering me.com guy recommends time outs for kids who start to stutter... And then there's the Aussie's... Birds of a feather....

Go figure...

The field of researchers in fluency disorders is just overwhelmed by unequaled levels of...er...ah...genius...

I think I'll just stutter...maybe go into acting...chew gum...put some hearing aid in my ear...become a nuclear physicist... befriend another person who stutters...read into a mirror... or just continue to be scared speechless...

I appreciate your blog Tom...But, unfortunately, I am so jaded with researchers and therapists in the area of stuttering. To me, the snake oil just flows out of this group. It's difficult to have hope when the crappy crap crap never ends... Frustrating? ah yeah...

And ok, before all you naysayers start your crying...I'll stop any commenting on Tom's blog because I choose to be anonymous.

And as I sign off...Good luck on your upcoming tests...Only give the right answers!

Anonymous said...

you must be the stuttering comedian...

Simona said...

Hey Everyone,
My name is Simona and I'm starting 20mgs of Propranolol next week and wanted to know if any of you are on it as well. I created a free forum for medical treatments for stuttering at http://medicaltreatments.proboards.com/ and hope you can contribute your treatment and experiments if you have time. I'm also starting up my nutritionstuttering blog that Tom has linked on the sidebar. I've been in Asia for the past year, but just returned to the states last month and I'm in full-swing trying to find us a way out. Love, Simona : )

Anonymous said...

Time outs for children who stutter when they stutter...Stuttering is naughty; stop stuttering!

Now that is research at its best!

Cathy O said...

Interesting concept feeding kids candy. I do enjoy this blog, thank you for all the great information you haev.

As a person who stutters I find that emotional support is just as important as therapy for our stuttering (if not more important). To meet other people who can relate to what we go through with our stuttering helps us accept our stuttering more than anything else. The National Stuttering Association (NSA - www.westutter.org), which is the largest self-help non-profit organization for people who stutter in the country, offers several programs which provides the opportunity for people who stutter to meet and interact with other people who stutter at local chapter meetings, workshops and annual conferences in which over 600 people who stutter (including kids and teens) attend each year! This year they are celebrating 33 years! Conferences in recent years have included such keynote speakers as VP Joe Biden, Arthur Blank (Owner, Atlanta Falcons), Adrian Peterson (Chicago Bears), Annie Glenn, John Melendez and John Stossel. They all shared truly amazing stories.

To learn more, pls contact them at: www.westutter.org, info@westutter.org or 1-800-937-8888

We would love to be included on your reference section on your blog, add us if you like!