The man began to stutter. Why stuttering develops

25.06.2023

How to get rid of stuttering? How to stop stuttering when talking? These questions concern people, one way or another involved in this problem. The impossibility of full communication, forced isolation, low self-esteem significantly worsen the quality of life. What to do? We will try to answer the questions posed in this article.

How stuttering manifests itself and what it is

People who stutter have irregular speech rhythms. Instead of a smooth, measured flow, it stumbles, gets stuck on individual sounds and words, which creates excruciating psycho-emotional stress from a person’s inability to speak out.

At the same time, the coordinated work of the articulatory apparatus, breathing and voice is disrupted.

Convulsive muscle movements, a grimace on a reddened face and swollen veins on the neck, confused breathing and a tense voice - this is what stuttering looks like.

In speech therapy, stuttering is a speech disorder, expressed in the repetition or lengthened pronunciation of sounds, syllables; or speech, the rhythm of which is disturbed by frequent stops and hesitation in pronunciation.

If stuttering has neurotic roots, then it is logoneurosis.

Are there other reasons besides “nerves”? Eat.

Causes of stuttering and prerequisites for its development

Why in the same situation, say, with a strong fright, some people begin to stutter, while others bypass this problem? What causes people to stutter? The causes of the disease are many and they are very individual.

You can start stuttering:

in childhood from 2.5 to 5-6 years old, when the child begins to speak and is very actively involved in this process, experiencing information overload;
with increased emotionality, vulnerability, impressionability, when a person is too receptive and sensitive to manifestations of the outside world;
at an early age, if the child grows up in a dysfunctional family, witnessing conflict situations and aggressive showdowns between parents;
as a teenager, when emotions “go wild”;
due to genetic predisposition;
at any age, if there are other speech disorders associated with brain damage;
in the presence of diseases of the central nervous system, for example, a tendency to convulsions and tics.

Stuttering in adults occurs less frequently than in children. In adulthood, a person begins to stutter, usually as a result of psycho-emotional trauma.

What are the types and types of stuttering

Due to the occurrence of stuttering, there are two types and can:

have a neurotic form if associated with psychological trauma;
be neurosis-like if the central nervous system is disturbed.

With neurotic stuttering, there is an ability not to stutter when talking in a calm environment. In cases with a certain amount of stress, for example, when speaking in public or talking with a stranger, speech spasms create an insurmountable obstacle to this. And then the fear of speaking and avoiding behavior complete the list of characteristic signs of logoneurosis.

With neurosis-like stuttering, speech impairment occurs as a result of physical and mental development.

Stuttering also manifests itself in different ways and can be of the following types:

Tonic, when a spasm of the speech muscles occurs, and a person cannot pronounce a word or hardly voices a certain sound; there is a pause, the face is tense, there may not even be enough air.
Clonic, when, with an involuntary contraction of the speech muscles, a person stutters when talking, repeating sounds, syllables, words many times.
Mixed, when there is a manifestation of two types.

Helping himself to pronounce sounds, a stuttering person can make accompanying movements, for example, pound his fist on his thigh, stamp his foot.

If you want to hide the defect, there is a tense posture, a shifty look, avoiding the gaze of the interlocutor, hand tremors and silence at every “opportune” occasion.

How to recognize in time that speech is out of order, and not look for answers to the questions: “Why do people stutter?” and “What should I do if I stutter while talking?”

Diagnosis of stuttering in children and adults

The main symptoms of the disease at any age are the same. These are hesitations that disrupt the smooth flow of speech: repetitions, lingering sounds, stops on the initial syllable. The process is accompanied by involuntary contraction of the muscles of the face, tension of the hands, and a disturbed rhythm of breathing. Fear, anxiety, worry are the emotions associated with stuttering.

It should be noted that at the age of 2-5 years, when the child is just learning to speak, repeated repetition of words, increased emotionality in the absence of any tension and not at all smooth speech is normal.

Stuttering in adults is more complicated and is accompanied by anxiety, palpitations, a feeling of suffocation, and chaotic movements. Panic in crowded places, withdrawal from communication, difficult adaptation in society - all this only emphasizes the seriousness of the problem of stuttering and makes you look for ways to overcome it in order to stop stuttering forever.

Which doctor treats stuttering

Treatment of stuttering in adults and children gives a positive result with an integrated approach involving the following specialists:

1. A speech therapist will help the well-coordinated work of the articulatory apparatus, correct the incorrect pronunciation of sounds, and teach you how to speak smoothly and correctly.

2. The psychotherapist will track the moment of the onset of the disease, teach you how to cope with excitement, anxiety, anxiety, in order to stop stuttering. If necessary, conduct a hypnosis session.

3. A neurologist will assess the state of the nervous system and prescribe appropriate therapy.

4. A reflexologist with the help of acupuncture can help get rid of stuttering.

Thus, stuttering is correctable.

How to treat stuttering and is it treatable

Modern methods of overcoming stuttering are based on a combination of corrective and health-improving work. When developing rehabilitation measures, the form and type of the disease, individual characteristics in each case are taken into account.

In the neurotic form, the main emphasis is on stabilizing the emotional sphere of a person, reducing the excitability of the nervous system. This is a drug treatment for stuttering in the form of tablets, and various psychotherapeutic techniques, for example, hypnosis, autogenic training. Against the background of this session with a speech therapist, they more effectively contribute to the elimination of stuttering.

In a neurosis-like form with organic brain damage, drugs are prescribed - antispasmodics and tranquilizers, and long-term corrective work is carried out to restore mental processes.

To treat stuttering in adults and children successfully help therapeutic and recreational activities that heal the nervous system and include:

compliance with the daily regimen with sufficient time for rest, lack of physical and nervous overload, good sleep;
organizing a healthy diet;
the creation of a favorable external environment is both the well-being of the premises and a benevolent environment - everything that contributes to a cheerful mood;
hardening in the form of walks in the fresh air, sports entertainment, water procedures;
physiotherapy exercises with physical exercises and rhythmic exercises to music;
conversations with a psychologist, when the word heals - explains, convinces, teaches, inspires, changes the view of oneself as a person, helps to adapt in the social environment.

Musical-rhythmic exercises are very effective for stuttering. This is dancing, and tapping the beat, and singing, and reading poetry with the appropriate movements. During such classes, coordination of movements favorably affects the fluency of speech, thanks to music, the emotional state improves, and most importantly, strength of mind and self-confidence are born.

Is there a cure for stuttering in adults? Everything is individual and the answer to this question cannot be unambiguous. The earlier the disease is detected and treatment is started, the more favorable the prognosis for the treatment of logoneurosis. But even in advanced cases, the methods described above will move the process from a standstill towards positive dynamics. You just have to not give up, but make efforts and believe in success.

It is possible to cure stuttering in children in 70% of cases, according to statistics.

It is necessary to educate the child's self-confidence, the desire to achieve goals, the ability to defend their point of view. This will help eliminate complexes and fears, improve his mental state and allow him not to fall into the risk group for such a disease as logoneurosis.

How to get rid of stuttering as an adult on your own

If you feel the strength in yourself to get rid of stuttering once and for all at home and stop stuttering when you are excited, try traditional medicine and adopt some effective tips:

Herbs such as valerian, St. John's wort, mint, lemon balm, chamomile, motherwort will calm the nervous system and have a strengthening effect on the psyche.
Aromatherapy with oils of bergamot, orange, patchouli, lavender as part of a massage cream or in an aroma lamp will help you fight stuttering as an additional method.
Sing. During singing, the work of the speech apparatus eliminates stuttering. Can't you? Sing for yourself, feel the freedom of expression and don't rate yourself.
Breathing exercises, coupled with your other actions, will help remove stuttering - smooth speech is impossible without measured breathing.
Keep a diary, well, or choose an occupation for yourself where you can express your thoughts not verbally, not in conversation, but in writing, in a calm environment conducive to reflection. Mentally pronouncing words and sentences, you will not stumble.
Limit the flow of information as much as possible, give your head a rest, do more creativity. Meditation, yoga, massage, travel are very useful.

If a child in your family has begun to stutter, help him by following these tips:

Talk to him slowly, almost in syllables, calmly pronouncing the words.
Do not pull, do not interrupt the child if he excitedly tries to tell you something. Hold his hands so you can help him calm down and continue speaking at a normal pace.
Read good fairy tales, retell them, discuss plots, ask and answer questions. In a home environment with close loving people, it will be psychologically easier for the baby to cope with the problem.
Be careful with his feelings. If he is uncomfortable talking in some situation, do not force him.
Create a calm, welcoming atmosphere at home. It is unacceptable to tease, to imitate stuttering, to be dismissive.
Teach your child to work conscientiously and not miss speech correction classes to stop stuttering.

Conclusion

Whatever the statistics say, desire, self-confidence, perseverance and confidence in success always give results. These are just the qualities that are so lacking in order to stop stuttering. Start with this. It's not easy, but worth a try!

This disease is distinguished by the fact that it proceeds without any violations of the speech apparatus. With stuttering, there are no changes or defects in the vocal cords, lips, tongue, teeth, or lungs. Brain activity is also not disturbed, however, a person’s speech is not coordinated with the speech apparatus.

The second name for stuttering is. From this it follows that stuttering is a neurotic ailment and it occurs as a result of a weakening of the nervous system. This can happen during some kind of infectious disease, mental trauma or other kinds of influences. Often the cause is improper upbringing, conflicts, excessive demands of parents on the child. It happens that stuttering occurs against the background of imitation of someone from whose speech is not distinguished by purity.

Logoneurosis develops mainly at an early age, at the time of speech formation. Stuttering in children can begin between 2 and 5 years old, when babies begin to speak in phrases, but this happens at 6 and 7 years. Puberty is also at risk, as adolescents are overly sensitive and receptive.

Stuttering always comes from childhood. It does not happen that a child begins to stutter by itself - this is always preceded by some unfavorable event.

Medicine distinguishes between two forms of stuttering - neurotic and neurosis-like. The cause of neurotic stuttering is usually some kind of psychological trauma. It can be a sudden fright, the death of a loved one or a beloved pet, scandals in the family,. As stuttering develops, logophobia appears - the fear of speech, which further exacerbates the situation. The child, realizing the imperfection of his speech, tries to speak less, is ashamed of his defect. In parallel with this, vegetative disorders also develop - the child blushes, sweats from tension. If you do not pay attention to the problem, then stuttering will progress and entail other disorders, for example, twitching of the muscles of the face and neck, limbs. Fear of the dark, insomnia, bedwetting may develop.

Neurosis-like stuttering develops against the background of an organic lesion of the central nervous system and occurs gradually, in contrast to neurotic stuttering. Here there is convulsive speech, which is often accompanied by forced movements of the muscles of the face and hands. However, with this form of stuttering, the child does not experience fear of speech, and all manifestations are stable. Neurosis-like stuttering is difficult to treat and depends on the general course of the disease against which it appeared.

Often stuttering is mistakenly called a speech disorder in which a person seems to chant words. Such speech is uneven - sometimes fast and loud, sometimes quiet and slow. This is speech ataxia, which develops with a disease of the cerebellum.

Genuine neurotic stuttering directly depends on the state of the person. In moments of excitement, it intensifies and weakens if a person is calm. Interestingly, stuttering people sing beautifully.

Treatment of stuttering is carried out by speech therapists and psychotherapists, since this disease has a neurotic basis. Since no violations of the speech apparatus are observed, it can be eliminated with complex treatment. Of course, the sooner work on this disease begins, the better. During the treatment period, it is very important to keep the patient calm. Kindness, consistency and attention will speed up recovery. In medical practice, cases of a significant improvement in speech are known, the patient's living conditions and his environment barely changed.

Stuttering- violation of speech, which is characterized by frequent repetition of sounds, syllables and words or their lengthening. There is also a frequent stop and indecision in speech, breaking its rhythmic and smooth flow.

A synonym for stuttering is logoneurosis (obsessive fear of communication).

Statistics

Logonosis affects children more often than adults. Moreover, the prevalence of stuttering among children varies from 0.75 to 7.5%. These figures are greatly influenced by the place and living conditions, as well as age.

Notably, boys are three to four times more likely to stutter than girls.

Also, pupils of orphanages are more prone to stuttering than children attending ordinary kindergartens and schools. In this case, an early separation from the parents plays an important role, so the child's psyche is injured (the child receives stress).

Whereas in rural areas, stuttering among children is much less common, which is associated with a calm environment.

Stuttering in most children goes away as they grow up, so only 1-3% of the adult population suffers from it.

It is noteworthy that the incidence of logoneurosis in siblings is 18%. That is, there is a hereditary predisposition to the disease. Mentions of stuttering reach us from ancient times. It turns out that some Egyptian pharaohs stuttered, the Persian king Bath, the prophet Moses (judging by the description, he had a speech defect similar to stuttering), the philosopher and orator Demosthenes, the Roman poet Virgil, Cicero and other prominent figures of ancient times.

Stuttering is also mentioned in the writings of Hippocrates: he believed that the cause of stuttering is the accumulation of moisture in the brain. Whereas Aristotle (the founder of scientific philosophy) believed that logoneurosis occurs due to improper concussion of the articulatory apparatus.

However, the true causes of the development of logoneurosis remained unexplored until the beginning of the nineteenth century. Therefore, both folk methods (spells, ointments, wearing amulets, and others) and truly barbaric methods were used to treat stuttering: cutting the frenulum of the tongue or removing part of its muscles (the proposal of the German surgeon Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach). And such cruel methods of treatment did help some patients.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, American and French scientists developed therapeutic exercises that helped get rid of stuttering. But she did not give instant results, so she was not successful.

However, the greatest contribution to the study of stuttering was made by Russian scientists - psychiatrist I. A. Sikorsky (for the first time he systematized all knowledge about stuttering) and physiologist I. P. Pavlov. Thanks to their work, the reasons for the development of stuttering became clear. Also at the beginning of the twentieth century, special techniques were developed to help get rid of stuttering and other speech disorders. In addition, a new direction in medicine was founded - "Speech therapy" (the science of speech disorders). And all this is the merit of Russian scientists.

However, much is still unknown. For example, it is not explained in any way, the fact that most patients with logoneurosis do not stutter when they speak by themselves, while singing or speaking in chorus.

Celebrities who stutter

An interesting case occurred with Bruce Ulysses: he developed a stutter in high school after his parents divorced. However, while participating in the productions of the theater circle, he noticed that he was no longer stuttering on stage. It was this fact that spurred him to intensive studies in the theater circle and determined the further choice of profession.

Famous personalities also suffered from stuttering, but defeated their illness: Winston Churchill (became a great orator and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature), King George VI, Sir Isaac Newton, Elvis Presley, Samuel L. Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Gerard Depardieu, Anthony Hopkins and others.

Anatomy and physiology of speech

The speech apparatus includes the central and peripheral sections.

Central department

Frontal gyrus the cerebral cortex is responsible for the work of the muscles and ligaments involved in the formation of oral speech (sounds, syllables, words) - Broca's center (motor center). During the first year of a child's life, it gradually activates.
Temporal gyrus responsible for the perception of their own speech and the speech of others - Wernicke's auditory center.
parietal lobe The cerebral cortex provides understanding of speech.
Occipital lobe The cerebral cortex (visual area) is responsible for the assimilation of written language.
Subcortical nodes(kernels of gray matter located under the hemispheres of the brain) are responsible for the rhythm and expressiveness of speech.
Conducting paths(groups of nerve fibers) connect different parts of the brain and spinal cord.
cranial nerves depart from the brain stem (located at the inner base of the skull) and innervate the muscles of the speech apparatus, neck, heart, and respiratory organs.

On a note!

Right-handers have a more developed left hemisphere, while left-handers have a more developed right.

Peripheral department

respiratory department(serves to supply air) includes the trachea, chest, along with the bronchi and lungs. Speech is formed during exhalation, so it becomes longer than inhalation in the ratio of 1:20 or 1:30.
Voice department(serves to form the voice) consists of the larynx and vocal cords.
Articulatory department(forms characteristic speech sounds) consists of the tongue, lips, upper and lower jaws, hard and soft palate, teeth and their alveoli (dental socket in which the tooth is located).

* Language- the most mobile organ of articulation. His muscles make it possible to change the shape, degree of tension and position. It is involved in the formation of all vowels and almost all consonants.

To the bottom of the oral cavity, from the middle of the lower surface of the tongue, a fold of the mucous membrane extends - the frenulum, which limits the movement of the tongue.

* Hard and soft palate, making various movements, modify the shape of the oral cavity, form cracks and bonds. Thus, they contribute to the formation of sounds.

The coordinated work of the peripheral and central speech apparatus forms a speech circle.

Mechanism of speech formation

In the motor part of the speech of the brain (Broca's center), an impulse (signal) arises, which goes through the cranial nerves to the peripheral parts of speech (respiratory, vocal, articulatory).

The respiratory department is the first to move: a stream of exhaled air breaks through the closed vocal cords, so they begin to oscillate. Thus, the voice is formed. Its height, strength and timbre depend on the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords.

The resulting sounds are converted in speech resonators: mouth, nose and pharynx. Due to their structure, resonators can change in shape and volume, giving speech sounds timbre, loudness and distinctness.

Then, according to the principle of feedback, the formed sounds and words with the help of hearing, as well as sensations, go from the peripheral speech organs to the associative department (Wernicke's auditory center, the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex), where they are analyzed.

Thus, a speech circle is formed: impulses go from the center to the periphery → from the periphery to the center → from the center to the periphery - and so on along the ring.

And if an error occurs somewhere, then the central parts of speech are informed in what position in the peripheral speech organ the error occurred. Then a signal is sent from the central section to the peripheral speech organs, which accurately gives the correct pronunciation. Such a mechanism operates until the work of the speech organs and auditory control are coordinated (speech synchronization occurs).

The mechanism of development of stuttering

A complex and incompletely established process.

It is believed that under the influence of causes or provoking factors, Broca's center is overexcited, and its tone increases. Therefore, the speed of his work increases, and the speech circle opens.

Further, overexcitation is transferred to areas of the cerebral cortex, which are located nearby and are responsible for motor activity. This leads to the fact that there are muscle cramps in the peripheral part of speech (tongue, lips, soft palate and others). Then Broca's center relaxes again, closing the speech circle.

That is, a person begins to stutter due to a sudden violation of the coordinated work of the speech organs when pronouncing sounds, which is caused by a spasm that has arisen in one of the sections of the speech apparatus (language, palate, and others).

It is noteworthy that both muscle spasms involved in the formation of sounds and respiratory ones can occur. As a result, not only stuttering develops, but also breathing is disturbed (there is a feeling of lack of air).

Stuttering mainly occurs on consonants, less often on vowels. And most often hesitation occurs at the beginning or middle of speech.

New theory in the development of stuttering

Professor Gerald Maguire from the University of California conducted research and found that people with stuttering have elevated levels of dopamine (a mediator that controls the brain). And if this theory is confirmed, then perhaps soon there will be drugs that lower dopamine levels. That is, he drank a pill - and you can go on stage to orate.

Reasons for the development of stuttering

remain the subject of debate. But the opinions of scientists agree that a combination of several factors plays a role in the occurrence of stuttering: heredity, the state of the nervous system, the features of the formation of speech, and so on.

However, even the presence of causes does not always lead to the development of stuttering, they are only triggers. And whether stuttering will develop depends on the initial state of the central nervous system and the tone of Broca's motor speech center.

Stuttering in children

Occurs most often. In general, the peak of the onset of the disease occurs in preschool age. The fact is that a child is born with underdeveloped cerebral hemispheres and cerebral cortex. Only by the age of five, they are finally formed.

Also, in young children, the processes of excitation prevail over the processes of inhibition. Therefore, excitation is easily transmitted from sensory fibers to motor ones. As a result, reactions in the form of a "short circuit" sometimes develop.

In addition, the movements of the organs of articulation (tongue, lips, and others) in babies are weak and not elastic enough, and their work is poorly coordinated.

Hearing plays a leading role in the formation of speech, starting to function from the first hours of a newborn's life. However, children are not aware of the difference between the sounds, syllables and words of others. Therefore, they do not understand speech well, mixing one sound with another.

In addition, at the age of 2 to 4 years, there is an intensive development of the child, the active formation of sound pronunciation and speech in general. However, at this age, the speech function is still not sufficiently formed. Therefore, the load on the nervous system increases, and its work may fail.

It is these factors that explain the instability of the child's speech and the high probability of the formation of its violations.

Risk factors for stuttering in children

They create only the prerequisites for the formation of stuttering.

Emotionally labile nervous system

Toddlers are whiny, they have increased irritability, restless sleep and poor appetite, they are attached to their mother.

An abrupt change of scenery can provoke the development of stuttering in children: the beginning of a visit to a kindergarten, a move, a long absence of a mother, and so on.

Early start of speech

At the age of one, children have a large vocabulary (normally, the baby correctly pronounces only 3-5 words). In the future, such babies quickly increase their vocabulary: at 1.5-1.8 they already speak in detailed phrases or whole sentences.

In this case, the crumbs lose their breath during the pronunciation of a long phrase. After all, he wants to tell everything at once. However, his tongue and lungs cannot yet cope with such a volume of speech.

Late start of speech

The first correctly pronounced words in such babies appear only by the age of two, and detailed phrases - not earlier than three years. Stuttering is caused by motor disinhibition of the nervous system. Therefore, babies often speak indistinctly and do not pronounce sounds well.

Stuttering in a family member

There is an imitation of the child's parents, brothers or sisters.

Insufficient emotional contact of the child with others

Children receive insufficient affection and warmth. Adults do not listen to the baby, being busy with their own affairs. As a result, the baby feels unwanted, so he may start to stutter so that his relatives pay attention to him.

Overly strict attitude of adults to the child

Often dads “sin” with this. Life is strictly according to the schedule: getting up, sleeping, the barracks system of punishments and so on. As a result, the baby grows shy and stiff, and is also afraid to make an independent decision so as not to anger the strict parent.

Features of the formation of speech

At the age of 2 to 6 years, kids often repeat or stretch out words and syllables, and sometimes insert extra sounds that do not carry any semantic or emotional load (“well”, “a”, “here”, and so on) As a result, such a habit is fixed, creating the prerequisites for the development of stuttering.

The physical condition of the child

Frequent colds, the development of allergic reactions, the presence of congenital pathology push the baby to realize that he is "not like everyone else." Because there are often restrictions. After all, mom constantly pulls back: “Don’t eat orange / chocolate, because the rash will appear again”, “You can’t play in the yard, you’ll catch a cold” and so on. As a result, the child closes in on himself.

In addition, frequent visits to medical facilities lead to the development of “white coat phobia”.

Mastery of two or more languages at the same time

Especially if the parents at home speak different languages. In this case, the coordinated work of speech motor centers is disrupted. Since the baby still does not speak his native language well enough.

Excessive demands on the child

Sometimes parents want to demonstrate the extraordinary abilities of their child to all their acquaintances and friends. Therefore, they are forced to memorize complex poems and recite them at a birthday or other family celebration. Whereas in a baby, the corresponding areas of the brain have not yet matured, and the muscles of the articulatory apparatus are not ready for such a load.

gender

Boys are more likely to develop stuttering than girls. Since girls develop motor functions in a shorter time: they start walking and talking earlier, they have better developed motor skills (movement) of their fingers. Apparently, therefore, in girls, the nervous system is more resistant to various factors that provoke the development of stuttering.

left-handedness

The harmonious interaction between the symmetrical structures of the brain of the right and left hemispheres is weakened. Therefore, the child's nervous system becomes more vulnerable, which is reflected in the development of speech. Moreover, the risk of stuttering increases if a left-handed baby was tried to retrain to use his right hand with rough methods.

Probably, the weakness of some brain structures that are involved in the formation of speech is inherited.

Reasons for the development of stuttering in children

There are several groups, but the causes can often be combined.

The state of the central nervous system

Children who have had diseases that affect the nervous system are prone to stuttering: intrauterine hypoxia, trauma during childbirth, traumatic brain injury, infectious processes (caused by viruses, protozoa, bacteria, fungi) and other pathologies.

After past illnesses, there are residual effects that lead to structural changes in the brain (organic damage). As a result, insufficiency of the motor parts of the brain (for example, Broca's center) develops in varying degrees of severity. Therefore, the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles from the central parts of speech is disrupted. While smooth speech requires coordinated work and maturity of the central nervous system.

Such children are emotionally labile, impressionable, they have an increased level of anxiety, they do not adapt well to new conditions (for example, the beginning of attending a kindergarten), they are timid, worried, and so on.

Past mental trauma

Under the influence of stress, the coordinated redistribution of muscle tone involved in the formation of speech is disrupted. That is, muscles contract and relax inconsistently. Therefore, there are convulsive repetitions of sounds, syllables and words.

Moreover, stress can be chronic or acute (fear, constant fear, death of a loved one, family troubles, and others), and the strength of its impact does not matter.

Stuttering in adults

It occurs infrequently - and, as a rule, originates in childhood. However, logoneurosis often appears in adults, causing the development of considerable problems: they withdraw into themselves, become timid and indecisive, avoid communication with people, are afraid of public speaking, and so on.

Risk factors for stuttering in adults

Male

Men are more likely to develop stuttering than women. Professor I.P. Sikorsky explains this by the fact that in women the left hemisphere, in which Broca's motor center is located, is much better developed than in men.

hereditary predisposition

There is a congenital weakness of the central parts of speech, therefore, when exposed to adverse factors (for example, stress), their work is disrupted.

Causes of stuttering in adults

stressful situations

The heavy loss of a loved one, a traffic accident that occurred before our eyes, military operations, an earthquake, disasters, and so on.

Under the influence of stress, the coordination of the muscles responsible for the formation of sound is disrupted: they contract and relax inconsistently. As a result, muscle cramps develop. That is, there is a relationship with the emotional state of a person.

Diseases of the central nervous system

Traumatic brain injuries, neuroinfections (viral, bacterial, fungal, affecting the nervous system), encephalitis, meningitis and others. Since the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain along the nerve pathways to the muscles responsible for the formation of speech is disrupted.

In adults, strokes or the presence of brain tumors (benign, malignant) play an important role in the occurrence of stuttering, if the central parts of speech are affected. Since there is a mechanical obstacle to the transmission of a nerve impulse.

Moreover, in these cases, there is no relationship between stuttering and emotional stress. That is, a person stutters at rest, alone with himself, while singing and speaking in chorus.

Types of stuttering

They are divided according to the form of seizures, clinical manifestations and the course of the disease.

Types of stuttering in the form of seizures

Clonic stuttering- when several short-term convulsions following one after another lead to involuntary repetition of individual syllables and sounds.
tonic stutter- if the muscles are contracted for a long time and strongly. The result is speech delay.
mixed form develops when both types of speech impairment are combined.

In addition, sometimes violent and involuntary movements (convulsions) of the muscles of the face and / or limbs join the spasms of the muscles of the tongue, lips and soft palate.

Types of stuttering downstream

Constant - stuttering, having arisen, is constantly present in all situations and in forms of speech.
Wavy - stuttering does not disappear until the end: it appears, then disappears.
Recurrent (recurrent) - a speech defect, having disappeared, reappears. Sometimes after fairly long periods of speech without hesitation.

Types of stuttering by clinical forms

There are two forms of logoneurosis: neurotic and neurosis-like. The separation is based on different reasons and mechanisms of development.

neurotic form

Patients have no data on the presence of intrauterine hypoxia or birth trauma in the past.

The impetus for the development of stuttering is mental trauma (acute or chronic stress) or the early active introduction of a second language of communication (at 1.5-2.5 years). That is, the disease is functional in nature, and brain structures are not affected. Therefore, this form of stuttering is more treatable.

Characteristics of children prone to the development of a neurotic form of stuttering

Initially, such children are timid, impressionable, anxious, touchy, irritable, whiny, afraid of the dark, do not stay in a room without adults, have difficulty getting used to a new environment, and do not sleep well. Also, their mood changes quickly, and more often - downwards.

Mental, physical and motor development in children is age appropriate. However, the formation of their speech occurs somewhat earlier: the first words appear by 10 months of age, phrasal speech - by 16-18 months. 2-3 months after the start of phrasal speech, children are already building complex sentences and speech constructions.

The pace of speech is accelerated: children "choke", do not finish the endings of words, skip prepositions and words. In addition, speech is sometimes slurred.

Symptoms

In children the disease occurs suddenly, usually between the ages of 2 and 6 years.

Immediately after a psychological trauma, which becomes the “last straw”, the child stops talking for a while (mutism). At the same time, an expression of fear is “written” on his face. Then, when the child begins to speak again, it is already stuttering. The kid becomes irritable and whiny, sleeps badly, is afraid to talk.

With the introduction of a second language of communication, the child receives mental stress, as the load on the speech apparatus increases. While some children, due to age characteristics, did not master their native language enough.

Stuttering in crumbs increases when exposed to any stress, emotional stress or anxiety. That is, the course of the disease is undulating: periods of stuttering alternate with light intervals when the child speaks without hesitation. Whereas if the baby is sick (his body temperature rises, he coughs, and so on), then his stuttering does not worsen.

The neurotic form of the disease proceeds both favorably and unfavorably. In the first case, a cure occurs, and in the second, the disease becomes chronic.

In the chronic course of the disease over time, stuttering becomes more severe. By the age of 6-7, children are reluctant to talk to new people. And at the age of 11-12, children's behavior changes dramatically: they withdraw into themselves. Because they are well aware of their defect and are afraid to make an unfavorable impression on the interlocutor.

Children develop logophobia - fear of talking with an obsessive expectation of speech failures. That is, a vicious circle is formed: convulsive stammering in speech leads to the emergence of negative emotions, and they, in turn, increase stuttering.

In adults logophobia becomes obsessive. Therefore, stuttering arises only from the thought that there is a need for communication or when remembering unsuccessful speech contacts in the past. As a result, adults feel socially inferior, they have a constantly low mood, there is a fear of speech, so they often consciously refuse to communicate at all.

neurosis-like form

In patients from the anamnesis (data from the past), it turns out that the mother suffered severe toxicosis during pregnancy, there was a threat of miscarriage, asphyxia (suffocation) or trauma during childbirth, and so on. That is, there is an organic brain lesion (dystrophic changes in brain cells), so this form of stuttering is more difficult to treat.

For a neurosis-like form of stuttering, the manifestations of a speech defect do not depend on external factors (for example, emotional stress).

Characteristics of children prone to the development of a neurosis-like form of stuttering

In the first years of life, such children are noisy, do not sleep well, are restless, fussy. Their physical development is somewhat behind their peers. They have awkward movements and poor coordination, they are disinhibited and easily excited, irritable and quick-tempered.

Children do not tolerate heat, riding in transport and stuffiness. They quickly get tired, and also exhausted during physical and / or intellectual stress.

They have a delay in the development of speech, the pronunciation of some sounds is impaired, vocabulary accumulates slowly, and phrasal speech is formed late.

Symptoms

In children stuttering begins around the age of 3-4 years for no apparent reason, growing gradually. The beginning, as a rule, coincides with the formation of phrasal speech.

In the first half of the year of the disease, periods of "stammering" gradually become longer and appear more often, and "light" intervals (when the child does not stutter) are not observed. That is, the disease proceeds on a "one note".

Next, the children begin to add extra phrases and words that do not carry a semantic load (embolophrasy): "a", "e", "well" and others. At the same time, the pace of speech itself is either accelerated or slowed down. As a rule, there is a sharp violation of breathing during speech: words are pronounced at the moment of inhalation or at the end of a full exhalation.

In addition, there is insufficient mobility, as well as coordination of the organs of articulation (tongue, palate and others), arms and legs. Also, convulsions can occur in the mimic muscles of the face or hands. As a rule, such children have a poor musical ear.

During the examination, it turns out that most of the children have an organic brain lesion of a residual (residual) nature. Therefore, children often have reduced memory and working capacity, they quickly get tired and suffer from headaches, they have attention deficit and hyperactivity.

In adults in the chronic course of this form of the disease, there are often severe convulsions in all parts of the speech apparatus. As a rule, their speech is accompanied by nodding movements of the head, monotonous movements of the fingers, swaying of the body, and others. That is, there is a violent contraction of other muscle groups that have nothing to do with the formation of speech.

In a severe form of the disease, adults are tired of communication, so soon after the start of the conversation they complain of fatigue and begin to answer in monosyllables.

In addition, adults find it difficult to adapt to new conditions, they have reduced memory and attention, increased fatigue and exhaustion.

Classes with a speech therapist bring relief to most patients, but only if the work is carried out regularly and for a long time.

Which doctor should I contact?

There are many reasons for the development of stuttering. Therefore, several specialists are involved in its treatment.

Neurologist and psychiatrist are engaged in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system with the help of medicines.

Psychotherapist uses various types of psychotherapy: hypnosis, auto-training and others.

Psychologist studies the personality of the patient, revealing the weaknesses of the character and helping to correct them. Teaches communication with others in various life situations, helps patients express themselves emotionally and creatively.

Speech therapist - speech correction specialist. His job is to teach proper breathing during speech, the use of voice, smooth and rhythmic conversation. The speech therapist does not correct the incorrect pronunciation of syllables or words, but informs the patient that they can be easily pronounced, like all other words. Then the patient's fear of stuttering gradually decreases.

Acupuncturist acting on special points with needles, relieves nervous tension and improves blood circulation in the brain.

Physical therapy instructor with the help of special exercises helps patients develop the necessary coordination and the ability to move freely.

At what age is it better to start treatment in children?

As soon as it seemed to you that the child began to stutter, contact the specialists. The maximum and fastest effect of the treatment is available if the visit to the doctor was within 3-6 months from the onset of the disease.

A favorable outcome from treatment is achieved if it is started at the age of 2 to 4 years, less favorable - from 10 to 16 years. Since the slight vulnerability, the desire for freedom and intimacy, which occur in adolescence, adversely affect the results of treatment.

Treatment for stuttering

It is carried out both in the hospital and on an outpatient basis. Various types of psychotherapeutic effects, physiotherapy exercises, drugs (for example, sedatives, antidepressants, vitamins) and so on are used in combination.

Techniques for the treatment of stuttering

They exist in large numbers, but they all have the same task - to make the speech centers work synchronously at the same speed. It is based on the inhibition of Broca's speech center and the excitation of other motor centers.

The article presents only some of the techniques used to treat stuttering in children and adults.

Elimination of stuttering in preschoolers

"Elimination of stuttering in preschoolers in game situations" - the method of Vygodskaya I.G., Pellinger E.L. and Uspenskaya L.P.

The course is designed for 2-3 months (36 lessons).

The basis of the methodology is the gradual creation of game situations that form independent speech skills in stuttering children. And then they help to move from communication in words to detailed phrases. In addition, the technique includes speech therapy classes at each stage: special exercises are performed to relax muscles and relieve emotional stress.

Methodology L.N. Smirnova "Speech therapy in stuttering"

A system of gaming exercises is used, designed for 30 weeks (one academic year). Classes are recommended to be carried out daily for 15-20 minutes in the morning.

Goals

Ensuring speech and personality correction
Developing a sense of rhythm and tempo of speech
Improving attention and memory
Development of fine motor skills of the hands and relaxation of muscle tone
Development of speech and motor coordination

Silivestrov's technique

Duration - from 3 to 4 months. Course - 32-36 lessons.

The methodology includes three stages:

I. Preparatory. A calm environment is created and verbal communication is limited. Further, the active work of the child on his speech is stimulated.
II. Training. They move from quiet speech to loud, and from a calm type of activity to emotional. For this, active, creative games are used. Moreover, at this stage, parents also take part in the treatment.
III. Fixative. Smooth speech is fixed in more complex situations: conversation, story, and so on.

Elimination of stuttering in adolescents and adults

Methodology V.M. Shklovsky

It combines the work of a psychiatrist, a neuropathologist and a psychotherapist. The course of treatment is 2.5-3 months. During treatment, the patient stays in the hospital.

The technique includes four stages:

I. The patient is carefully examined and the cause of stuttering is identified.
II. The ingrained skills and disturbed attitudes of the personality are rebuilt.
III-IV. Speech training is carried out in a living environment in which a stutterer usually resides. Thanks to this, speech activity is brought up in the patient, and the confidence is strengthened in him that he will be able to cope with stuttering in any situation.

Method L.3. Harutyunyan

Initially, treatment is carried out for 24 days in a hospital, then five courses of five to seven days during the year.

The technique consists of several stages:

Work is underway to eliminate speech spasms
Reduced anxiety associated with the act of speaking
Patient awareness of their condition and confidence in recovery

A feature of the technique is the synchronization of speech with the movements of the fingers of the leading hand. That is, a new psychological state is being formed, in which the patient's speech is associated with calmness, correct intonation and facial expressions, confident posture, and so on. Initially, such speech is slow, but it makes it possible from the first lessons to speak to the patient without convulsive hesitation.

New techniques for the treatment of stuttering

BreathMaker Complex

When using the technique, the speech circle is "prosthetized" between Broca's center (speech center) and Wernicke's center (speech recognition center).

The essence of the technique

The stutterer speaks into a microphone, his speech is recorded and then corrected by a computer program. Further, the corrected speech is fed into the headphones and analyzed by the Wernicke center correctly. As a result, the tone is removed from the center of Broca.

Such a mechanism is aimed at eliminating the psychological dependence and self-doubt of the patient. After all, with a slight hesitation, he thinks that others perceive him critically. Therefore, there is an even greater overexcitation of speech centers, which leads to aggravation of speech disorders.

Motivation is the basis of treatment

Patients with logoneurosis are talented, vulnerable and impressionable people. However, they are often inert or lazy. Over the long years of their illness, they adapt, deriving secondary benefits from their condition: they are less likely to be called to the board, not sent to reading competitions, exempted from oral examinations, and so on.

However, you can and should fight with your speech impairment. And most importantly, remember that the “magic” pill for stuttering has not yet been invented.

What should parents do?

Little fidgets are a special category of patients. After all, it is difficult to explain to a child that you need to be silent for only a few days, right now you can’t watch your favorite cartoon, and so on. Because, due to the immaturity of the brain structures, children do not know how to wait. Therefore, parents will have to be patient and learn how to use small tricks.

Organize your daily routine.
Organize a child’s sleep for at least 8 hours a day (if necessary, daytime sleep), exclude active and computer games in the evening. Limit the time you watch cartoons and try not to watch new episodes while the treatment lasts. Thus, the overstrain of the central departments of speech will decrease.

Organize the right communication.
Children don't stutter when they're alone, so try not to be the first to talk to your child. Talk to your baby calmly, slowly and smoothly, pronouncing all the words. When communicating with your child, try to use questions that have simple and one-syllable answers. If your child is having difficulty saying the phrase on their own, say it together.

Observe guard speech mode.
Read only well-known books, do not ask the child to retell a fairy tale, what he saw or learn a poem - the right time will come for this a little later. Choose quiet places for walking. It is better to play calm games (for example, assembling a constructor, modeling, drawing) so that the child comments on his actions, since he does not stutter alone with himself.

Watch your nutrition.
The diet should be dominated by vegetable and dairy foods. Limit chocolate, sweets, spicy, salty and fried foods.

What should adult patients do?

It should be noted that there is a long and painstaking work for both the doctor and the patient. Therefore, before the start of treatment, they conclude a contract between themselves. According to it, the doctor undertakes to treat, and the patient undertakes to follow all the doctor's recommendations: exercise regularly, if necessary, observe silence at the beginning of treatment, and so on.

Then, having conquered his fear, the patient must “enter” into stuttering. That is, keep a diary of speeches, take the initiative in communication (for example, tell jokes or stories), and so on. This tactic gives good results. A striking example is celebrities who have overcome their illness.

Both adults and children face the problem of stuttering. Regardless of age, this defect in diction causes a lot of discomfort and inconvenience. Children often become the subject of ridicule of their classmates, receive poor grades for oral answers in the classroom. For adults, lack of speech can be a career barrier. The methods described below are aimed at treating stuttering in an adult and in a child, they include psychological work and special exercises.

Causes of stuttering

The repetition of the same sounds or whole syllables is nothing more than a spasm during the operation of the articulatory apparatus. Involuntary abbreviations occur during an attempt to pronounce certain words. Speech therapists have been researching the phenomenon of stuttering for many years.

The main reasons are listed as follows:

Children's injuries during the period of active development of speech - from one to three years. Stuttering in a child can be associated with really terrible events - the death of a relative, a serious illness, but sometimes it occurs due to an accidental combination of circumstances. For example, if a baby at this age is frightened by a big dog or even the cries of mom or dad.
Biological causes that may be associated with stuttering in a child include diseases of the brain, nervous system. Meningitis suffered in childhood, intracranial pressure, blows to the head - all this refers to organic prerequisites. Dealing with this kind of stuttering is the hardest thing.
Neurotic experiences associated with the process of speech. Such children or adults can talk quite normally in “ordinary” life, but begin to stutter in responsible situations when it is necessary to speak, to speak in public. Logoneurosis has no "age", stuttering in an adult of this type is most common.

Doctors say that men are more likely to suffer from this lack of speech than women, linking the predisposition to the peculiarities of the functions of the nervous system and brain. Speech therapists also distinguish "disguised" stuttering, when a person does not swallow syllables and does not repeat them, but inserts meaningless interjections into speech - "uh", "khem" and others. Stuttering in an adult is often masked by these phonetic pauses, which is why speech also does not become more beautiful.

Center for stuttering "Prichal"

The method of elimination of stuttering of the Center "Prichal" (patent No. 2497555) of the city of the resort of federal importance Belokurikha has proved to be highly effective and effective. It is there that the psychological work with the patient is based on the destruction of the existing reflexes and habits in the production of speech. Stuttering, according to the authors of the method, is a “speech injury”, accompanied by difficulty in speech movements.

The process of classes at the Prichal Stuttering Center is built so harmoniously that it allows for a relatively short period of time, 10-12 days, to bring into line and regulate metabolic processes in the nervous and respiratory systems, vocal, articulatory apparatus. Due to systematic and daily activities, stuttering disappears as a bad habit. A new program for calm speech is being formed and fixed at the subconscious level.

The advantage of the Center "Prichal" is its location. Clean mountain air, unique mineral water, an atmosphere of goodwill, calmness, the possibility of taking (recommended) the PRAK procedure (resonant-acoustic vibrations program), allow patients to concentrate and concentrate deeply, and as a result, get a healthy, calm, reliable and confident Speech!! !

This simple, unique and effective course is a must for stutterers, regardless of age. And there are a lot of them in our country (2% of the population).

How to cure stuttering in adults

Situational stuttering can occur even in a perfectly healthy person. However, before getting rid of the symptom, it is necessary to determine the cause of the problem. If it is associated with organic disorders, then the ways to cure stuttering will be the only ones aimed at eliminating biological causes. With a different etiology, psychotherapy will be more effective.

The following violations must be excluded:

stroke and its consequences;
encephalitis, complications of the disease;
pathologies of the oral cavity - for example, cleft lip;
neurological disorders.

How to get rid of stuttering in adults, if one of the diseases or its consequences is found, the attending physician will determine. Medications, physiotherapy, special exercises are prescribed. Some of them can be used by people without organic pathologies. Only therapy and self-therapy aimed at combating neurosis relieves psychological problems.

Stuttering exercises

Can stuttering be cured at home? Yes, especially if we are not talking about serious pathological changes. Non-drug and psychological techniques, exercises will tell you whether stuttering can be cured without resorting to speech therapists.

1. Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises will come in handy for anyone who wants to know how to cure stuttering at home. The technique is simple, it can be performed by a child and an adult:

In a sitting position, slightly lower your head forward, inhale deeply through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Repeat 10-15 times. The inhalation should be as fast as possible, and the exhalation should be slow.
Standing turn your head on its axis. The body should remain relaxed, hands at the seams, legs apart in a comfortable position. Repeat up to twenty times.
Sit on a hard surface, close your eyes and breathe, trying to push the air with force into the diaphragm and back.

Working with breathing helps to correct the defect of diction by strengthening the muscles of the oral cavity. This is one of the key points in how to cure stuttering. Strong muscles are less prone to spasms, this also applies to articulatory muscles.

2. Rehearsals in front of a mirror

The psychological technique used by actors and other people who work professionally with speech will also help stutterers. How to cure stuttering with rehearsal? Very simple: say poems aloud, read books, rehearse performances. Gradually, your speech will become smoother.

3. Meditation

Like any neurosis, stuttering manifests itself in moments of emotional excitement, both in children and adults. Understanding this feature will help you understand how to learn to relax or teach your child before a potentially traumatic situation. Meditation practices will help you focus on the meaning of the speech, and not on the defect of speech.

4. Aromatic oils

Phytotherapy will help you calm down. Lavender, thyme and sage are recommended as mild sedatives that will help you stop worrying about the need to talk. Additionally, you can drink a cup of mint tea, which also has a harmless calming effect.

5. Silence

In the treatment of stuttering, it is necessary to maintain the speech mode so as not to overload the muscles of the mouth and larynx. Most of the day it is desirable to be silent. For children, you can come up with special game situations, for example, portray fish.

6. Massage

Procedures by a specialist or self-massage of the neck and throat area will help relieve and prevent spasms. Movements should be soft, smooth, aimed at maximally relaxing the articulatory apparatus.

Speech defects can ruin the life of both a child and an adult. Babies with stuttering problems should be shown to a specialist as soon as negative symptoms appear. An adult can also visit a psychotherapist and a neurologist. And exercises used at home will be useful in any case.

Watch the video in which Elena Malysheva, in the program "Health", on the first channel, tells how to cure stuttering

October 22 is International Stuttering Day. AiF-Chernozemye correspondent spoke with speech therapist Olga Zhukova about what can cause stuttering, whether it can be cured in adulthood, and what speech problems can indicate hearing problems or neurological diseases.

Stuttering is treated in children and adults

Irina Evsyukova, AIF-Chernozemye: Why do people start to stutter?

Olga Zhukova: Stuttering is a pathology of speech that has been known since antiquity, but continues to be studied. There are many reasons why it can occur, but the main ones are four. First, heredity. Previously, it was believed that this pathology is not inherited, today scientists have come to the conclusion that such a factor exists. Then - physiology. For example, functional damage to the brain, various injuries, including intrauterine, infectious diseases. The third is the negative influence of society, quarrels in the family, excesses in education. When children often scream, squeal, yell, they strain their vocal cords. And, finally, psychological trauma - ranging from strong emotional upheavals to simply information overload. Today, children from an early age sit in gadgets. There is so much information that they can't handle it. Often they eat and immediately watch cartoons, all this excites and overloads the nervous system, and then brain dysfunction and stuttering in speech may occur. The child begins to tell something excitedly, stammer, and then these stammers become normal for him.

Stuttering often begins in childhood. Moreover, according to statistics, boys are four times more likely to develop stuttering than girls. According to the observations of doctors, there are fewer stutterers among people living in rural areas, because they are in a more calm, measured environment. In the metropolis, of course, it is more difficult for children.

- Can stuttering be cured?

Adults with stuttering account for only 1%. This suggests that stuttering is being treated. If you turn to specialists in time, speech can be restored, made it melodic, rhythmic.

It is necessary to deal with specialists in a complex manner. A neurologist prescribes medication, a psychiatrist prescribes hypnotherapy or training, a psychologist teaches to be in society, communicate, make decisions in a stressful situation, a speech therapist puts melodic, rhythmic speech. But with this pathology, relapses often occur. If a child uses hesitation for a long time, then muscle spasms will begin, which interfere with the melodiousness of speech. Vocalization, humming of words, helps to overcome these spasms.

- Who is easier to cope with stuttering - children or adults?

If an adult begins to stutter after a brain injury or hemorrhage in the speech centers, such a pathology is treated more easily than stuttering, with which a person has been living since childhood. Adults approach treatment more consciously and with more motivation than children, for whom sessions with a speech therapist always take place in the form of a game. It is more difficult with children, as it often happens that in the speech therapist's office they are doing great, but in life they continue to use their usual hesitation. Adults can control this moment. If a child stutters, the whole family should constantly work with him according to the method chosen by the speech therapist. For example, turn on the silence mode to calm the muscles, whisper speech, monitor your breathing.

Alarms

- What speech problems can indicate neurological diseases?

There are quite a lot of speech disorders in neurological diseases. For example, difficulty or inability to pronounce a word, insufficient coordination of the executive apparatus of speech - tongue, vocal cords, lips, palate - these are signs of dysarthria resulting from an organic lesion of the central nervous system.

Another pathology - aphasia - can occur as a result of trauma, tumors, strokes, inflammatory processes, and some mental illnesses. The patient can understand someone else's speech, but he himself cannot express his thoughts, while the functions of the executive apparatus of speech are not violated. There is another type of aphasia - sensory, when a person does not understand the speech addressed to him. And with amnestic aphasia, patients do not remember the names of objects, although they know their purpose. These distinctions are conditional, different types of aphasia can be combined with each other.

In small children, alalia can be diagnosed - this is a very complex neurological disease, a systemic underdevelopment of speech that occurs in the pre-speech period of life. Such a child can distort the syllabic structure of a word, he has a poor vocabulary and impaired sound pronunciation. With sensory alalia, there is a misunderstanding of someone else's speech and underdevelopment of motor speech. It is necessary to suspect alalia if a child does not have a pronounced speech at the age of two and a half to three years. Here, only a speech therapist can not cope, neurological help is needed. This is a complex defect, but it is corrected by serious work over several years.

Today, a lot of children are born with perinatal encephalopathy - lesions of the central nervous system. Previously, we met this pathology much less frequently. The reason lies in the stress that a mother may experience during pregnancy, poor ecology and even mother's nutrition. If the baby does not get enough oxygen inside the womb, it can affect his health at birth.

- You said that at the age of three, a child should have formed phrasal speech.

Yes, at the age of three, a child should already use 300-500 words and be able to build sentences, use prepositions. If this does not happen, you need to contact a speech therapist. He will refer the child to a neurologist or audiologist. After all, speech disorders can indicate, among other things, hearing problems. Signals for this - if the child speaks through the nose, uses truncated words, poorly conveys the melody of the word, skips, replaces or confuses sounds, connects syllables from different words. He reproduces words not by sounds, but by visual articulation. One of the reasons for this may be adenoids, which prevent the formation of phonemic series.

In general, after two years of life, the child's speech apparatus is already formed: the larynx, tongue, throat, lips, organs of articulation. At two and a half years, a child may not yet pronounce some sounds, change their places in words, soften words. If others understand him, you can wait until the age of four. Although earlier it was believed that in two and a half years phrasal speech should be formed. But in the last ten years, this threshold has increased to three years.

- What alarm signals should indicate to parents that the child needs to be shown to a speech therapist?

If you feel that his speech lags behind his peers, it lacks prepositions, conjunctions, practically does not use verbs, adverbs and adjectives. If there is "blurring" of speech, inexpressiveness, slurring, interdental or squelching pronunciation of hissing and whistling, if the voice is quiet, weak, deaf, the child speaks through the nose.

Pay attention to the pace and rhythm of speech. If the speech is accelerated, the child speaks excitedly, this can lead to hesitations. Talk to him calmly, slowly. Sometimes parents themselves are too emotional, they constantly pull the child, raise their voice. The kid is excited, nervous, crying, hysterical, and all this affects his speech. If the child does not pronounce many sounds, it is also worth contacting a specialist. A speech therapist examines the child's speech, develops ways to correct defects.

- Is burr speech considered a pathology? Is it possible to correct the pronunciation of the sound "r" in adulthood?

Burr, or rotacism, is not a pathology, but it also brings discomfort. Such people can veil insecurity, even flaunt it. Especially in adolescence. This defect is corrected in childhood very easily if there is no neurological pathology behind it. But even in adulthood, it can also be corrected. Now there are a lot of specialists who work with adult patients. Of course, this will require more effort and time, because you will have to wean yourself from the way of muscles that a person has used all his life, and connect those that did not work before.

It is necessary to correct all speech defects before school in order to avoid writing and reading problems. Moreover, at an early age, the muscles are more elastic, so it is easier to fix them. It is important for parents to support the child in overcoming speech disorders, to motivate him, to engage with him. This is painstaking work, but all speech pathology is correctable. In general, the specialty of a speech therapist is interdisciplinary. It is located at the intersection of medicine, pedagogy and psychology. It is difficult, but interesting.