Often used as a comedic device in Indian movies, stuttering or stammering is treated as a standing joke. Those who have the issue are mostly mocked by society, leading to a loss of self-esteem for the speakers.
In reality, stammering, also called childhood-onset fluency disorder is a speech disorder, that is sometimes accompanied by facial tics, head jerks, tremors in the lip or jaw or rapid blinking.
Most children undergo a phase of developmental stuttering between 2 years and 5 years. In such cases, the disorder disappears as children develop their speaking abilities. However, in some cases, it may become a chronic condition, that can be managed through therapy.
First held in 1998, International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD), or International Stammering Awareness Day, has been an annual celebration that is held on October 22nd every year. The first ISAD was held in the UK and Ireland.
Since then, communities and associations across the world conduct events to highlight difficulties faced by people who stammer and to fight the negative attitudes against stutterers. By celebrating notable personalities who suffer from the disorder, ISAD also highlights the fact that those who stammer are neither nervous nor less intelligent.
Every year, an online conference is held from October 1 to October 22 as part of ISAD celebrations. This year, the conference extends till October 31st. The conference is open to speech-language pathologists, their clients and those with an academic interest in the speech disorder. The theme of ISAD 2022 is: “Being Seen, Being Heard – Representation and normalization of stuttering in the mainstream”.
The mission statement of the conference reads:
“The mission of the ISAD Online Conference is to carry on a tradition of education by offering a conference-type experience in the form of personal stories, videos, creative expression, therapy ideas, and research, along with ongoing discussions about stuttering. This conference connects people who stutter and their allies, encouraging meaningful dialogue around stuttering and allowing us to learn from a diversity of voices.”
A global media campaign and educational activities are also conducted to sensitise the public about neurological conditions.
Cognitive behavioural therapy and electronic devices that aid in improving speech fluency are other methods to tackle stuttering or stammering.