How to relieve stuttering. Stuttering in adults can be cured. New techniques for treating stuttering

Stuttering- a speech disorder characterized by frequent repetition of sounds, syllables and words or their prolongation. There is also frequent stopping and hesitation in speech, disrupting its rhythmic and smooth flow.

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

Statistics

It is noteworthy that boys are three to four times more likely to stutter than girls.

Also, pupils of orphanages are more susceptible to stuttering than children attending regular kindergartens and schools. In this case, early separation from parents plays a big role, so the child’s psyche is traumatized (the child gets stressed).

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 older, 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 hereditary predisposition to illness. Mentions of stuttering have reached us since ancient times. It turns out that some Egyptian pharaohs, the Persian king Bath, the prophet Moses (judging by the description, he had a speech impediment similar to a stutter), the philosopher and orator Demosthenes, the Roman poet Virgil, Cicero and other prominent figures of ancient times, stuttered.

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 shaking of the articulatory apparatus.

However, still real reasons The development of logoneurosis remained unstudied until the beginning of the nineteenth century. Therefore, to treat stuttering, both folk methods were used (spells, ointments, wearing amulets and others), and truly barbaric methods: 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 still helped some patients.

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

However, the greatest contribution to the study of stuttering was made by Russian scientists - psychiatrist I. A. Sikorsky (who was the first to systematize 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, helping to 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 still remains unknown. For example, there is no explanation for the fact that most patients with logoneurosis do not stutter when they speak by themselves, while singing or speaking in chorus.

Celebrities who have stuttered

We also suffered from stuttering, but overcame our illness, famous personalities: Winston Churchill (became a great orator and was awarded 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

Central department

• Frontal gyri the cerebral cortex is responsible for the work of the muscles and ligaments involved in the formation oral speech(sounds, syllables, words) - Broca's center (motor center). During the first year of a child's life, it gradually activates.
• Temporal gyri 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 acquisition of written speech.
• Subcortical nodes(nuclei of gray matter located under the cerebral hemispheres) are responsible for the rhythm and expressiveness of speech.
• Pathways(groups nerve fibers) connect various parts of the brain and spinal cord.
• Cranial nerves originate from the brain stem (located at the inner base of the skull) and innervate the muscles speech apparatus, neck, heart, respiratory organs.

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

Peripheral department

• Respiratory section(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 a ratio of 1:20 or 1:30.
• Voice department(serves to form the voice) consists of the larynx and vocal cords.
• Articulation department(forms characteristic speech sounds) consists of the tongue, lips, upper and lower jaws, hard and soft palate, teeth and their alveoli (the tooth socket in which the tooth is located).

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 movements of the tongue.

* Hard and soft palate, making various movements, modify the shape of the oral cavity, form slits and closures. 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

The respiratory section is the first to move: a stream of exhaled air breaks through the closed vocal cords, so they begin to vibrate. This is how the voice is formed. Its pitch, strength and timbre depend on the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords.

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

Then according to the principle feedback the resulting 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, 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 around the ring.

And if an error occurs somewhere, then the central speech departments are informed at what position in the peripheral speech organ the error occurred. A signal is then sent from the central region to the peripheral speech organs, which accurately produces the correct pronunciation. This mechanism operates until the work of the speech organs and auditory control are coordinated (speech synchronization occurs).

Mechanism of development of stuttering

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.

Next, overexcitation is transferred to areas of the cerebral cortex that are located nearby and are responsible for motor activity. This leads to muscle cramps in the peripheral part 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 disruption of the coordinated functioning of the speech organs when pronouncing sounds, which is caused by a spasm that occurs in one of the parts of the speech apparatus (tongue, palate, and others).

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

Stuttering mainly occurs on consonants, and less frequently on vowels. Moreover, hesitations most often occur at the beginning or middle of speech.

New theory in the development of stuttering

Causes of stuttering

However, even the presence of reasons does not always lead to the development of stuttering; they are only triggers. 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

Also, in young children, excitation processes predominate over inhibition processes. Therefore, excitation is easily transferred from sensory fibers to motor fibers. 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 insufficiently elastic, and their work is poorly coordinated.

Hearing plays a leading role in the formation of speech, beginning to function from the first hours of a newborn’s life. However, children do not realize the difference between the sounds, syllables and words of those around them. Therefore, they understand speech poorly, mixing one sound with another.

In addition, between the ages of 2 and 4 years, the child develops intensively and actively develops sound pronunciation and speech in general. However, at this age the speech function is not yet sufficiently formed. Therefore, the load on the nervous system increases, and its functioning may fail.

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

Risk factors for stuttering in children

Emotionally labile nervous system

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

Can provoke the development of stuttering in children abrupt change circumstances: starting kindergarten, moving, long absence mothers and so on.

Earlier start of speech

At one year old, children have a large lexicon(normally, the baby pronounces only 3-5 words correctly). Subsequently, such children quickly increase their vocabulary: at 1.5-1.8 they already speak in expanded phrases or whole sentences.

In this case, the baby loses his breath while pronouncing 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 speeches

These children appear to have their first correctly pronounced words only at two years of age, and detailed phrases - no earlier than three years. Stuttering is caused by motor disinhibition of the nervous system. Therefore, babies often speak slurredly and pronounce sounds poorly.

One of the family members stutters

The child imitates his parents, brothers or sisters.

Insufficient emotional contact of the child with others

Children do not receive enough 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 family will pay attention to him.

Overly strict attitude of adults towards children

Dads often “sin” with this. Life is strictly on schedule: getting up, going to sleep, the barracks system of punishment, and so on. As a result, the baby grows up fearful and repressed, and is also afraid to make an independent decision so as not to anger a strict parent.

Features of speech development

At the age of 2 to 6 years, children often repeat or stretch out words and syllables, and sometimes insert extra sounds that carry neither semantic nor emotional meaning (“well,” “a,” “here,” and so on) As a result, this habit is consolidated, creating the preconditions for the development of stuttering.

Physical condition of the child

Frequent colds, more developed allergic reactions, the presence of a congenital pathology pushes the baby to the realization that he is “not like everyone else.” Because there are often restrictions. After all, my mother constantly tells me: “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 withdraws into himself.

Besides, frequent visit medical institutions leads to the development of “fear of the white coat.”

Mastering two or more languages ​​simultaneously

Especially if the parents speak different languages ​​at home. In this case, the coordinated work of speech motor centers is disrupted. Because the baby is not yet fluent in his native language.

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 party or other family celebration. Whereas in the 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 have more short time motor functions are formed: they begin to walk and talk earlier, their motor skills (movement) of their fingers are better developed. Apparently, this is why girls’ nervous systems are more resistant to various factors, provoking 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 developing stuttering increases if they tried to retrain a left-handed child to use his right hand using crude methods.

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

Causes of stuttering in children

Condition of the central nervous system

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

After 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 expressiveness. 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, starting to attend kindergarten), they are timid, worried, and so on.

Past mental trauma

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

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

Stuttering in adults

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 unfavorable factors(for example, stress) their work is disrupted.

Causes of stuttering in adults

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

Under the influence of stress, the coordination of the muscles responsible for producing 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, previous neuroinfections (viral, bacterial, fungal, affecting the nervous system), encephalitis, meningitis and others. Because the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain along the nerve pathways to the muscles responsible for speech formation is disrupted.

In adults, a major role in the occurrence of stuttering is played by previous strokes or the presence of brain tumors (benign, malignant), if the central parts of speech are affected. Because there is a mechanical obstacle to the transmission of nerve impulses.

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

Types of stuttering

Types of stuttering according to the form of seizures

• Clonic stuttering- when several short-term convulsions following each other lead to involuntary repetition of individual syllables and sounds.
• Tonic stuttering- if the muscles contract for a long time and strongly. As a result, speech delay occurs.
• Mixed form develops when both types of speech impairment are combined.

Types of stuttering along the way

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

Types of stuttering according to clinical forms

Neurotic form

The patients have no data on their history of intrauterine hypoxia or birth trauma.

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

Characteristics of children prone to developing a neurotic form of stuttering

Initially, such children are timid, impressionable, anxious, touchy, irritable, whiny, afraid of the dark, do not stay in the room without adults, have difficulty getting used to a new environment, and sleep poorly. Their mood also changes quickly, and more often in a downward direction.

Mental, physical and motor development in children corresponds to their age. However, the development of speech occurs somewhat earlier in them: the first words appear by 10 months of life, phrasal speech by 16-18 months. 2-3 months after the start of phrasal speech, children are already constructing complex sentences and speech structures.

The pace of speech is accelerated: children “choke”, do not finish words, miss 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 mental trauma, which becomes the “last straw,” the child stops speaking for some time (mutism). At the same time, an expression of fear is “written” on his face. Then, when the child begins to speak again, he already stutters. The baby becomes irritable and whiny, sleeps poorly, and is afraid to talk.

When a second language is introduced, the child experiences mental stress as the load on the speech apparatus increases. While some children, due to age characteristics, have not sufficiently mastered their native language.

Stuttering in children increases when exposed to any stress, emotional stress or anxiety. That is, the course of the disease is wave-like: 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 get worse.

The neurotic form of the disease occurs 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, stuttering becomes more and more severe over time. By the age of 6-7 years, 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 of making an unfavorable impression on their interlocutor.

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

In adults Logophobia becomes obsessive. Therefore, stuttering occurs only from the thought that there is a need to communicate or from memories of unsuccessful speech contacts in the past. As a result, adults feel socially inferior, they are constantly in a low mood, they have 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 organic brain damage ( 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 developing a neurosis-like form of stuttering

In the first years of life, such children are noisy, sleep poorly, restless, and fussy. Their physical development is somewhat behind that of their peers. They have awkward movements and poor coordination, they are disinhibited and easily excited, irritable and hot-tempered.

Children do not tolerate heat, travel and stuffiness well. They get tired quickly and are also exhausted during physical and/or intellectual stress.

They have delayed speech development, the pronunciation of some sounds is impaired, their 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, increasing gradually. The beginning, as a rule, coincides with the formation of phrasal speech.

In the first half of the year of the disease, periods with stuttering 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 “one note.”

Next, children begin to add extra phrases and words that do not carry a semantic load (embolophrasia): “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 sharp violation 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, etc.), arms and legs. Also, spasms can occur in the facial muscles of the face or hands. As a rule, such children develop a poor ear for music.

Upon examination, it turns out that most children have organic brain damage of a residual nature. Therefore, children often have decreased memory and performance, 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 forced contraction of other muscle groups that have nothing to do with the formation of speech.

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

In addition, adults find it difficult to adapt to new conditions, they have decreased 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?

Neurologist and psychiatrist They treat diseases of the nervous system with the help of medications.

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

Psychologist studies the patient’s personality, identifying character weaknesses and helping to correct them. Teaches how to communicate with others in a variety of ways life situations, helps patients express themselves emotionally and creatively.

Speech therapist - a specialist who specializes in speech correction. His job is to teach proper breathing while speaking, using the voice, and speaking smoothly and rhythmically. The speech therapist does not correct incorrect pronunciation syllables or words, but conveys to the patient that they can be pronounced easily, like all other words. Then the patient's fear of stuttering gradually decreases.

Acupuncturist influencing special points with needles, removes nervous tension and improves blood circulation in the brain.

Physical therapy instructor Using special exercises, it helps patients develop the necessary coordination and ability to move freely.

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

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

Treatment for stuttering

Treatment methods for stuttering

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

Eliminating stuttering in preschoolers

The course lasts 2-3 months (36 lessons).

The basis of the methodology is the step-by-step creation of game situations that develop skills in children who stutter. independent speech. And then they help to move from communicating in words to detailed phrases. In addition, the method includes speech therapy classes at each stage: special exercises are performed to relax muscles and relieve emotional stress.

Methodology L.N.Smirnova “Speech therapy for stuttering”

A system of game exercises is used, designed for 30 weeks (one academic year). It is recommended to conduct classes daily for 15-20 minutes in the morning.

Goals

• Providing speech and personality correction
• Developing a sense of rhythm and tempo of speech
• Improving attention and memory
• Develops fine motor skills and relaxes muscle tone
• Development of speech and motor coordination

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

The technique includes three stages:

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

Eliminating stuttering in adolescents and adults

It combines the work of a psychiatrist, neurologist and psychotherapist. The course of treatment is 2.5-3 months. During treatment, the patient remains 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 individual are rebuilt.
III-IV. Speech training is carried out in the life environment in which a person who stutters usually finds himself. Thanks to this, the patient develops speech activity, and also strengthens his confidence that he can 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 throughout the year.

The technique consists of several stages:

• Work is being done to eliminate speech cramps
• The feeling of anxiety associated with the act of speech decreases
• The patient’s awareness of their condition and confidence in recovery

New techniques for treating stuttering

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

A person who stutters speaks into a microphone, his speech is recorded and then corrected. computer program. Next, the corrected speech is fed into headphones and analyzed correctly by the Wernicke center. As a result, the tone is removed from Broca's center.

This mechanism is aimed at eliminating the patient’s psychological dependence and self-doubt. After all, with a slight hesitation, he thinks that those around him perceive him critically. Therefore, even greater overexcitation occurs speech centers, which leads to worsening speech impairment.

Motivation is the basis of treatment

However, you can and should fight your speech disorder. And the main thing is to remember that a “magic” pill for stuttering has not yet been invented.

What should parents do?

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

Organize your daily routine.
Ensure your child sleeps at least 8 hours a day (if necessary) nap), exclude active and computer games V evening time. Limit your time watching cartoons and try not to watch new episodes while treatment is ongoing. Thus, the overstrain of the central parts of speech will be reduced.

Organize proper communication.
Children do not stutter when they are alone, so try not to be the first to address your child. Talk to your baby calmly, slowly and smoothly, pronouncing all the words. When communicating with your child, try to use questions whose answers are simple and monosyllabic. If your child finds it difficult to pronounce a phrase on his own, say it together.

Observe the protective speech regime.
Read books only that you know well; do not ask your child to retell a fairy tale, what he saw, or to learn a poem - the right time for this will come a little later. Choose quiet places for walks. It is better to play quiet games (for example, assembling a construction set, modeling, drawing) so that the child comments on his actions, since he does not stutter when alone.

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

What should adult patients do?

It should be taken into account that there will be long and painstaking work for both the doctor and the patient. Therefore, before starting treatment, they enter into some kind of agreement with each other. According to it, the doctor undertakes to treat, and the patient - to follow all the doctor’s recommendations: exercise regularly, if necessary, observe a quiet regime at the beginning of treatment, and so on.

Then, having overcome his fear, the patient must “enter” stuttering. That is, keep a diary of speeches, take 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.

The opportunity to be understood and fully convey your point of view to your interlocutor is achieved through communication. That’s why beautiful and smooth speech is so important. Logoneurosis, or stuttering, can not only cause a disorder in communication skills, but also complicate a person’s adaptation to society. What are the features of stuttering in adults, what is its nature and are there any effective treatment methods?

Concept and features of logoneurosis

The age period in which stuttering usually appears is early childhood. In such cases, if the problem is not identified in time and its comprehensive treatment is not started, mild or temporary logoneurosis can intensify and take hold, persisting for many years and becoming chronic.

Depending on the characteristics of the manifestation of stuttering, logoneurosis is divided into three types:

• clonic stuttering (manifests itself in the form of involuntary stretching of words, insertion of inappropriate pauses into speech);
• tonic stuttering (obsessive repetition of sounds, syllables or words);
• mixed type of logoneurosis (manifests as a combination of a group of symptoms of both of the above types).

It can be constant or wave-like in nature, but the “trigger lever” will be a stress factor, a difficult situation, for example, speaking in front of a large group of people, communicating with important person, fear and strong excitement.

The organic and physiological basis of such pathological phenomena lies in the development of muscle spasms of the speech apparatus, which are accompanied by impaired articulation and breathing. Often stuttering occurs in the background somatic changes: facial tics, respiratory spasms, skin redness, muscle tension, increased body temperature and blood pressure.

Stuttering is accompanied by other disorders: emotional experiences, disorders of the nervous system, complications in the development of general speech motor skills, and physical health of a person in general.

A person suffering from logoneurosis is characterized by anxiety, suspiciousness, low self-esteem, and a feeling of inferiority. Psychotrauma is a common occurrence for people whose speech is accompanied by such disorders. Many talented people unconsciously reduce their potential by themselves and do not expose their outstanding abilities to the public because of the fear of communication.

Logophobia or verbophobia develops, that is, the fear of speaking. These two disorders are interconnected and determine the manifestation of each other. The need to communicate with others puts a person who stutters into a state of stupor and frightens him. This increases the possibility of developing spasms of the speech apparatus, increasing the manifestation of speech neurosis. In this way a vicious circle arises.

Causes of stuttering

TO possible factors The development of logoneurosis can be attributed to:

• difficult course of pregnancy of the mother, which caused disturbances in the intrauterine development of the fetus;
• traumatic brain injuries;
• somatic and organic pathologies, complications after infectious diseases;
• development problems endocrine system, hormonal disorders;
• excessive provocation by adults early development child, excessive rapid accumulation of vocabulary;
• pathologies of family education of a child;
• delay in mental and speech development;
• There is an opinion about the pathological influence of fear and stress in the occurrence of logoneurosis.

But on its own, without reinforcement, emotional shock causes stuttering only in a number of cases. If there is a basis for the emergence and development of stuttering, an acute stressful situation can become the driving force that will serve as a “trigger” for the development of speech impairment.

Treatment of stuttering in adults

Treatment of stuttering in adults is carried out in two directions:

• elimination of speech disorders directly with the help of a speech therapist, who, through rehabilitation, tries to develop in the patient the skill of smooth and melodic speech;
• working with a psychotherapist and neurologist who eliminate stuttering as one of the symptoms of psychoneurological disorders, paying attention to the nervous system as a whole.

Complex therapeutic intervention, aimed at treating stuttering in adults, is not limited to one speech therapist. To fully treat logoneurosis, you will need to work with several specialists:

• a neurologist who examines, identifies the neurological component of the disease and directs an EEG and MRI examination, depending on the need, can prescribe a course of mild sedatives or nootropic drugs;
• a psychotherapist, using a psychotherapeutic conversation and projective techniques, determines the patient’s level of anxiety, identifies suppressed fears and phobias, and carries out their further correction. Sessions with a psychotherapist reduce anxiety, optimize the overall emotional and psychological background, correct communication skills, and teach independent forms of relaxation techniques. An important part of psychotherapeutic intervention is aimed at eliminating verbophobia - the fear of speaking. In the absence of attitudes that provoke fear of expressing one’s thoughts, somatic symptoms stuttering will not manifest itself and trigger logoneurosis.
• a speech therapist who eliminates immediate disturbances in the functioning of the articulatory apparatus and corrects speech defects. But the effectiveness of a speech therapist’s work occurs only with the parallel intervention of a neurologist and a psychotherapist;
• massage sessions, acupuncture, reflexology, physiotherapy aimed at optimizing the functioning of the nervous system.

How to help yourself

In parallel with medical intervention to correct logoneurosis, the patient can effectively use self-medication. Such methods that can be used to treat stuttering at home include relaxing baths, the use of herbal medicine, aromatherapy, meditative techniques, breathing exercises, and other methods aimed at relaxation and relaxation of the nervous system.

Except medicines having sedative effect on the nervous system, it is recommended to take infusions of ready-made herbal infusions, which will be prescribed by a neurologist. A collection of medicinal plants can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently:

• Pour 1 teaspoon of dry crushed fragrant rue with a glass of boiling water, leave in a water bath for 7 minutes. Take the finished infusion 1 spoon three times a day.

Before taking medicinal infusions, you should consult a doctor, as contraindications are possible. When taking sedative and nootropic drugs, it is important to consider their compatibility with the active ingredients contained in home-made infusions.

In adulthood, others treat physical disabilities much more tolerantly and in solidarity than in childhood. An adult will not be teased and ridiculed because of his shortcomings, as often happens in children's or teenage groups. But logoneurosis can complicate the life of a person suffering from stuttering, primarily because of his fear of speaking. Verbophobia leads to limited communication, social contacts, and, as a result, loss from society. Timely contact with a specialist, complex treatment can not only significantly improve speech with logoneurosis, but also relieve the fear of social contacts, as well as other emotional and psychological problems personality.

Neurotic stuttering most often occurs after a strong shock - fear, intense joy, psychological trauma. The following features and circumstances contribute to its development:

• increased excitability and susceptibility of the nervous system;
• genetic predisposition;
• prolonged exposure to stressful circumstances;
• various fears;
• transferred infectious diseases, reduced immunity.

Most often, stuttering first appears between the ages of 2 and 5 years, during the period of active formation and development of speech.

The initial symptoms of the disease often go unnoticed—speech disorders in a child are perceived by adults as a natural stage of development. The question of how to get rid of stuttering is raised extremely rarely at this stage - it is believed that such disorders go away on their own with age. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Gradually, hesitations, pauses and repetitions of syllables become more pronounced, the child begins to understand that he speaks differently from those around him, and over time, a so-called stable pathological state (SPS) is formed. The emotional sphere is involved in the process of stuttering - the child becomes nervous when it is necessary to talk, which further increases the likelihood of convulsive repetitions.

Break vicious circle more difficult than correcting speech at the initial stage of development of the disease. But under the guidance of a competent speech therapist, it is possible to return normal, smooth speech, without spasms and stuttering, even with severe forms stuttering. To do this, you need to work systematically, using complex method treatment.

You can learn more about how to treat stuttering in an adult, teenager or child, and arrange a consultation with a specialist from the Arlilia center by phone. Registration in groups is carried out only after consultation.

Students' stories of how they recovered from stuttering

Ilya Shestakov, what changed after treatment

Volodya B.'s parents' story about treatment and results

We're graduating soon. My son and I are completing a speech restoration course at the Arlilia center. And this difficult time is already behind the “black mountains”.

Vova began stuttering at the age of 3.5 years and manifested itself in fragments - it went away and after a few months returned again, and so on several times. A year later it finally became clear that it was stuttering. We started going to doctors, taking medicine, and working with a speech therapist. There was no result, and the stuttering progressed. We continued to search and quite by chance found on the Internet about the Arlilia center, and were interested in the reviews and results. And at the family council they decided that we should try it. At that time, Vova was still small, and on the advice of Anna Eduardovna, we started studying after 8 months.

The silent mode is truly the easiest of the entire course. It is more difficult to hold a child when he begins to speak and everything seems to be in order. You must strictly follow everything that the speech therapist says. And when you believe and see the results, you have the strength to work. And the support of all relatives and friends who communicate with the child at this time is also important.

We are grateful to fate for bringing us together with Anna Eduardovna! A low bow to you, Anna Eduardovna, for your skill and attention! And many thanks to everyone who came up with this technique! You are doing a noble cause. Let there be more healthy children!!!

Problematic speech, lack of self-confidence, isolation from society are a small part of the problems that can be encountered with such a problem as stuttering in adults. The disease can be congenital or appear as a result of stress and serious health problems. Developed by specialists quality methods to combat stuttering, the effectiveness of which has been proven. You can help treat logoneurosis at home, following the advice of competent psychologists and speech therapists.

Description and symptoms of stuttering

People have faced the problem of stuttering since ancient times, but attempts at treatment began only in the 19th century. Until this time, stuttering was a rare occurrence and could not be treated by methods known at that time.

Due to the occurrence of associated mental illness, doctors decided to begin research on methods of treatment for logoneurosis. Nowadays, stuttering in adults is recognized as a disease that requires close attention. Many methods have been invented for its treatment, which, taking into account the characteristics of the patient, are selected individually.

Physiologically, stuttering is expressed as convulsions in the speech-producing area and breathing problems.

The diagnosis of “logoneurosis” implies the presence of the following manifestations:

• nervous tics;
• involuntary changes in facial expressions;
• uncontrolled articulation;
• presence of speech defects;
• a noticeable effort made to continue the conversation.

Speech disorders inherent in stuttering are divided into two groups - tonic and clonic. The first is expressed in the stretching of vowel sounds, the appearance of pauses and breaks in the pronunciation of sounds. The second includes cyclical repetitions the same sounds or syllables. There is a mixed type of disease.

Symptoms of stuttering suggest the appearance of concomitant disorders:

• sleep problems;
• loss of appetite;
• constant sweating;
• the emergence of unreasonable fears.

Neurosis in an adult is always expressed only in external speech - the mechanisms of internal speech are not impaired, and speech remains clear and smooth.

Causes of stuttering

Stuttering can occur in any person; more than 1% of the world's population is affected by the disease. Causes of stuttering:

• neurotic causes (logoneuroses). Pathology of this type manifests itself in adulthood due to psychological trauma, severe stress, fright or shock states. In this case, stuttering may appear intermittently - in front of large audiences or during important conversations. The patient has no physiological pathologies.
• organic (neurosis-like) causes. The disease appears after mechanical injuries, strokes, and brain diseases. Speech defects can appear either constantly or under the influence of certain factors. Organic stuttering disappears after getting rid of the underlying disease.

TO psychological reasons The emergence of neuroses should be attributed to the patient’s constant oppression, fear and self-doubt imposed in childhood. Many psychological problems, not only stuttering, arise in childhood but manifest themselves in adulthood.

Doctors are confident that all causes of neurotic stuttering are psychomatic. Under the influence of any factors, a person loses his place in society, loses the strength to communicate, gives vent to fears and is subjected to severe psychic attacks on nerves.

Attention should also be paid to temporary stuttering, which appears as a result of fear or shock. This type of disease is easily treated if you seek help in a timely manner, but has a risk of developing into a chronic form.

Another risk factor is heredity, but even in this case, logoneurosis in adults is treatable. There is a theory that left-handers have a greater risk of developing neurosis. The theory is confirmed by research. Men are more susceptible to stuttering, which is explained by the peculiarity of the structure of the brain of women and the presence of natural protection against the disease. According to statistics, for every five sick men there are only two women.

The prerequisites for the occurrence of stuttering are existing problems with the speech apparatus, developmental delays, the patient’s adolescence, the presence of cerebral palsy and disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. At an earlier age, stuttering can develop as a result of imitating a friend or relative with an existing neurosis.

If you have a history of one or more risk factors, you should be prepared for the possibility of stuttering. It is important for such people to avoid stress, keep the nervous system in balance and not lose confidence.

Stages of disease development

Acquired stuttering develops slowly, and the course of the disease can be divided into four stages and given the following structure:

• The first phase is characterized by rare manifestations of the disease. Speech hesitations occur mainly at the beginning of a constructed phrase. Neurosis at this stage is most noticeable during pronunciation short words and prepositions. The patient himself is not yet worried about his problem and speaks freely.
• At the second stage, mild communication problems begin and embarrassment appears. A person begins to pay attention to his speech and control it all the time. Long and heavy words become difficult to pronounce, and speech defects appear more often.
• At the third stage, difficulties when speaking appear more often, but the sick person does not pay much attention to the problem, continues to live calmly and does not get lost in front of a large audience.
• The fourth phase has a greater impact on the human psyche: there is a desire to isolate from society and avoid speeches in front of the public. The patient begins to replace words with more convenient ones, is afraid to speak and is in constant excitement. Adult patients are more susceptible to this phase.

Identifying the disease in the early stages will give the patient a better chance of completely getting rid of stuttering.

Stuttering is also divided according to the age of onset of symptoms - congenital, childhood, teenage and adult. This division helps the doctor better understand the causes of the disease, select the right means, see how the disease progresses and formulate a suitable method of combating neurosis.

Possible complications

The danger of neuroses is expressed in strong influence on the psychological background of the patient. A person is in constant fear, experiences uncontrollable convulsions, tries not to talk, and asking for a bus stop becomes a serious ordeal. The patient's self-esteem is low and the desire to develop disappears. The problem also arises in personal life: creating a family for such people does not seem realistic.

To prevent the development of serious mental disorders, stuttering requires surgical treatment under the supervision of a psychologist.

Diagnosis of stuttering

Making a diagnosis, conducting tests, psycholinguistic analysis and determining a method of treating stuttering should be done only by the attending physician. The deviation is diagnosed by a neurologist, with the assistance of a speech therapist, psychologist and psychiatrist. Each doctor will be able to look at the case from his own side, which is important for uncovering all the causes of the disease. The presence of specialists from different areas will help to take into account the patient’s characteristics and understand which direction of treatment to give preference.

Treatment methods for stuttering

Every day, experts are inventing new methods of combating neuroses, the effectiveness of many of them has been proven and is beyond doubt. Wide choose methods of treatment makes it possible to select for each patient a suitable therapeutic complex, which is determined taking into account all the characteristics of the patient and is systemic.

Medication methods

Treatment with medications is aimed at removing physical symptoms and normalization of the patient’s nervous system. Complete cure There is no point in waiting with the help of pills; the medicine itself will not remove the cause. Medicines with a sedative and anticonvulsant effect are prescribed, and vitamins and supplements are added to treatment if necessary. Fees from medicinal herbs, sold in pharmacies, have no less effect and in many cases are prescribed by doctors to treat stuttering.

Speech therapy methods

Speech therapy helps the patient with the restoration of speech function. The doctor forms a system of automatic skills in a person, including correct breathing, rate of speech, natural articulation, teaches to control spasms and speech mechanisms. Popular group classes, where patients learn to relax and talk calmly in the company of others.

Psychotherapeutic methods

Psychology will help a person understand the cause of the disease and learn to cope with complications. The psychosomatics of the disease is explained, and the person gradually returns to society. This type of treatment involves hypnosis therapy, which has controversial reviews, but is quite effective in some cases. Neuropsychology, as a branch of psychology, offers no fewer options for the treatment of stuttering.

Logoneurosis involves the large participation of a psychologist or psychiatrist in the treatment of the patient. Psychotherapy, testing and special exercises may reveal a more serious illness that requires treatment.

Author's methods

Complexes developed by specialists in the field of stuttering to combat neurosis, where psychological aspects are one of the key ones, are gaining popularity. They include exercises, meditation, modeling different situations to adapt the patient to society and fight the disease.

Massage therapists, acupuncturists and physiotherapists are involved in the treatment of stuttering. Greatest effect It has complex therapy, which includes constant monitoring by several doctors and the participation of the patient himself in treatment.

Fighting stuttering at home

Treatment of neurosis requires mandatory observation by a doctor, but the patient can enhance the effect with the help traditional methods, aromatherapy and self-hypnosis.

Oils

Essential oils will help you gain peace and harmony in life. It is recommended to add oils to the bath or use as aromatherapy. Rosemary, lavender, sandalwood and pine oils have the greatest effect in treating stuttering.

Medicinal herbs

Herbal infusions are excellent in stabilizing the nervous system and normalizing the speech apparatus. Chamomile, lemon balm, nettle, valerian, birch leaves, rose hips, and anise are suitable for treating stuttering.

The best recipes for treating stuttering with herbs:

• Mix dried flowers and leaves of chamomile, valerian, mint and nettle in equal proportions. Pour one glass of boiling water over a teaspoon of the resulting mixture and let it brew in a dark place for 15 minutes. Take 2 times a day for a month.
• 7 grams of a mixture of hops, cumin, rosehip, birch leaves, mint, wormwood, violet, dandelion root, cucumber and woodruff, pour into 2 glasses cold water and leave overnight in a warm place. In the morning, bring the infusion to a boil and let it brew for half an hour. Take orally 4 times a day before meals.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is an effective practice that helps you gain self-confidence and set yourself up for a productive day. To conduct this type of hypnosis, choose a quiet, cozy place where there are no irritating factors.

The patient must take a sitting position, relax and say certain phrases. There are two types of hypnosis - relaxing and encouraging. The first is recommended to be done before bed, and the second in the morning, immediately after waking up.

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises will help you relax and have a positive effect on your respiratory system. The most effective exercises:

• Take a lying position, place one hand on your stomach, the other on your chest. Take a deep, even breath, leaving the diaphragm at rest, look at your stomach - it should inflate like a balloon. While exhaling, you need to gently press your hand on your stomach. After a few weeks, move on to doing the exercise while sitting, then standing.
• To perform this exercise you will need a glass of water and a cocktail straw. You need to inhale with your stomach through your nose and mouth, your lips are in a half-smile position. You need to exhale through your mouth through a straw into a glass, making sure your lips are still.

Reading

Reading out loud will help you deliver your speech and gain confidence. But you need to follow several rules within the framework of the methodology.

• Choosing the right book to read. It’s better to start with Gorky and Aesop’s fables.
• At first, you shouldn’t overdo it; read no more than one chapter a day.
• The text of the work should be easy to read and have a simple structure.
• A good help is pre-placed stress on difficult words.
• Equally important is the placement of logical pauses.
• Read correctly while exhaling, inhaling during stops. During forced stops it is worth doing deep breath and continue reading.
• You need to read loudly and confidently, at a comfortable pace. It is necessary to prepare the room - ensure silence and comfortable lighting.
• Musical accompaniment in the form of classical works will be good addition for reading treatment.

Home hypnosis treatment is an excellent addition to the main one. It depends only on the patient himself which option to give preference to. When choosing this type of therapy, you need to make sure there are no contraindications or allergies. A preliminary consultation with your doctor will not be superfluous. Organic neurosis requires special attention and caution when choosing home treatment methods.

Prevention

Stuttering causes the patient constant stress And Bad mood. Preventive actions consist in excluding their life from nervous situations. Yoga and meditation classes have an excellent effect. A person should take time to relax, listen to classical music and keep the nervous system in balance.

The general physical health of a person is important in the prevention of stuttering. It is worth taking time to exercise, start running in the morning or go to the gym. It will not be superfluous to switch to a healthy diet, get rid of bad habits and saturate the body with vitamins.

You should not despair if treatment is unsuccessful. You should try other methods, visit a psychologist and try to improve the quality of your life. No doctor can give an unambiguous forecast about the timing and success of treatment. The result depends on many factors - the duration of the disease, the causes of its occurrence, and the correctness of the selected technique.

Conclusion

Neurosis can manifest itself in any person; the causes can be psychological or organic. You can get rid of the problem using complex treatment with the participation of several specialists. The sick person himself can take part in the fight against stuttering, using folk remedies or self-hypnosis. The main thing is to make sure own strength and set yourself up for a happy life.