Hope for Stammerers

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 12, 4 January 1924, Page 4

Hope for Stammerers

NEW METHOD OF TREATMENT AUTO SUGGESTION, RHYTHM, RELAXATION

! It migh: be better fm »uin’s happi-ness-ami l you for his use fa!ness—- ' that ho should be born deaf am! dumb . rather tlum that he should be afflicted with stammering in a severe form. Lor j in that ease he would be almost ur.em- | playable. Even though it be not so ! lend .-i H-j-etchpd exfotenw. I'"' il is ill,: 1 very dubious blessing- vouch*nfp<l 1„ | those i-.iilterors tluii ih'Y to nbuosi ; gifted iviili sensibility to :m unusual ; degree, and that they hove more tnnii j the average share of iuteJiijjouer. Hut so far fault alleviating' their lot 'this makes it: only harder tor fhem. they kaw that they have, gifts above the that these gifts ean hardly over be put to any ootid aveouni. It. tatty cotitforr those who tire earrying the heavy burden of stammering to hear that under a new method ot treatment discovered by an Australian physician they may. if tliev will but persevere, cast litis I'roiii them. Are.! lot. it bo noted tlnd this applies to those who may earnestly but vainly have sought relief by ether methods of treatment. Stammering is the result »>t want ol co-ordination between the respiratory muscles ami the muscles cMicerned in articulation. The physician says that in his opinion the lack of muscular coordination referred to lias a psyrlfu* basis, which may be with or without psychical trauma (injury). Stammerers sometimes try to adapt ihenu-advos to 1 i*. :ir surroundings with the aid of drugs or alcohol. Suppose they have one. even for one wlio stammers only slightly), they may resort l.u a heavy dose of alcohol. Under this temporary artificial stimulus they will obtain muscular relaxation, and with it selfconfidence. The physician referred rediscovered for himself the effect on stammerers that was produced by alcohol through observing the behaviour »-r shell-shocked soldiers whose injuries had brought oil stammering. If these poor fellows chanced to have indulge'l in 100 much liquor time wt-uld be aide to c-inverse with him with perfect confidence. and iif their articulation left something t<> !>•’ desired 1 1* i - was due not r r » their stammering propensities, but to the toxi effects of owr-indul-gence. Lt may lu explained that the doctor had been a stammerer himself, but by perseverance and by availing hi nisei f of several diJicreiit methods -’I od himself that he could articulate clearly, though it wmild always be with obvious effort. One night lie had to make a speech at a social function. Pcmeudwring the effect of beer ami of whisky on the soldiers, he * in a spiw. of scientific investigation' took three or four ‘'stiff’’ whiskies not long before lie had to speak. The result was that when hr addressed his audience his flow of language was copious, uni id torrupled. and effortless. .Such fluency was a surprise to himself, and mote tli.au u. & .surprise to those of his hearers who know hint personally. But as Id* said afterwards, when relating this ex pe.rience. tio reputable medical man alcohol as a preventive of stammerieg: for in many cases that would mean thm [ though a man might become arliculuie ’ who) he was under the influence el drink ii might very well happen a Is** that lie. would in the end become a confirmed drunkard. Evidently alcohol, per so, was not ‘ • indicated; d maimed then to discover how to produce the required muscular relaxation, and also how lo produce seJl’-conlideiice by means other than alcohol. In establishing confidence in the patient-, his friends and family can do their part in pacing the way to successful t reatmen I. They must neb her show misplaced sympathy on the one hand nor contemptuous irritability mi rhe other. And above all. the sufferer must bo taught to make no attempt to conceal his misfortune, for this will only aggravate his disabilities. W« now come to the treatment itself —thougn this can be dealt with only in brief outline. If the patient is an adtill. hypnotic procedure, as doctors call it, may often be resorted to with advantage. The patient may be lold u» lie down on a couch in a required room, the doctor beside him. Tie will be told to leave his mind a blank, and as an aid to this he will regard intently some small, bright object such as a mirror. If he does so a slight' drowsiness will

presently supervene, and when this stale is reached the doctor will tell the patient quietly, but positively. that his ease is curable providing that he will persevere in the course prescribed. The patient on his part, acting under

orders, will then say, 11 1 am certain 1 am curable, and that J am going to be cured,,’’ or words lo that effect, and ho will ropeat this whenever he undergoes this phase of treatment. It is known as auto-suggestion, and how powerful that is we may witness any day for ourselves. I suppose there is hardly one of us who does not know somebody

who is in the habit of relating an ad- i venture and of making himeeii. the j hero of it, although ho was u.i reality | in no way concerned with what had j happened. To begin with, lie may have used the first person singular in telling hi.-: story, either to make himself more interesting, or perhaps because thin vs Iho easier form of narration. No matter what his motive was, the result is the same in the end. As he rails and retells his story, lie becomes more si rid m-.we convinced rhnt he is relating facts, am! if you are unkind enough 1:o bow 1 him out,” ii will only disconcert him for the viiue being. Having established a correct psychic state—thn! is. strong hopefulness —the patient will rake deep-breathing exercises with Hie whole body held in a relaxed position. He will then be direeled to pronounce vowel sounds —sometimes to sing ihem 1 o the accompaniment of a piano. Then ihost-expand-ing exercises caw be commenced. They also designed to produce a rhythmic relation between inspiration and expira-tion-—or absolutely regular breathing, as you might say. To aid rhythm, the breathing is rimed by regular, slow, swinging movements of the arms. Now we may come to tlie ooii-OJiam.-v If is Ihclr arid ulatiow that give a stammerer his greatest trouble. U.-.ually sui::o consonants are much more troublesome i ban i tliers. I f it is the s. the Ihe stammerer may hiss loudly at you in a maun' r which disconcerts you | belli. Let recall the instance of jail employe- in a country store whose |*S \s gave him positive agony. One afternoon he .u hod into the office, evidently with something of the first importance to the community, but beyond hissing lie could make no sound. ••’Sing it man, sing'!’’ said one <•' ihe partner.*. Then, to the tune of "Hod s,iw rhe King,” he delivered himself to Him effect. ••(.’lease call the engines, sir! The si oil! is on ii-o-r.” ( The .iuvic. nl is of interest, because f it shows rhnt where rhythmic speech ■ i.- neeessaiv there is no stammering. In j ihe treatment here considered, rhythm ; plays a mo.-! important part, and the \ sufferer is taught to speak rhythmically do this by opening and closing his hands at regular intervals, or by slowly iupping on 1 he floor with his heel. Then at first, it is a great assistance if he j will slur difficult consonant sounds |(l lie vowels never present any diliii culty'i until lie acquires confidence. ! Jl is said ilia! with the method of j treatment outlined. there have been ( hardly any failures. From personal knowledge, I know of some remarkable ' cures. There was a university student who was apparently an absolutely hopeless stai imerer, yet after being treated for ill roe- months lie could not only talk, but he could address an uudieucc with perfect fluency.--- Kxehange.