American Institute for Stuttering - Freedom of Speech National Stuttering Awareness Week

NEW YORK, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What do Ed Sheeran, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Carly Simon, NFL Falcons Owner Arthur Blank and former Vice President Joe Biden have in common?  Stuttering!

The above individuals are all highly successful, resilient "escapees of their vocal prison."  Each suffered from a severe stuttering disorder as a child but overcame the impediment itself and the humiliation that goes with it to reach the pinnacle of their chosen careers.  In short, they each found their voice.

Stuttering is nothing to be ashamed of. It is not a laughing matter. Yet millions of people who stutter suffer each day, "imprisoned" by this complex, frustrating disorder.

The American Institute of Stuttering (AIS) hopes to elevate public awareness of stuttering and is proud to participate in National Stuttering Awareness Week, beginning May 8.

President Ronald Regan established national Stuttering Awareness Week in 1988 for people in the US who stutter. 

The original proclamation read in part:

The uniquely human ability to communicate thoughts through speech allows us to share our ideas almost as quickly as they occur, with little conscious effort…Rapid-fire repetitions of sounds, prolonged vowels, and verbal blocks disrupt the smooth and easy flow of speech and limit the spontaneous exchange of ideas and feelings.  Many stutterers suffer frustration and embarrassment that can lead to harmful emotional stress.

More than 3 million Americans and 60 million people worldwide stutter. While the exact cause of stuttering remains unknown, research confirms both genetic and neurological origins. Greatly misunderstood, stuttering is one of the few disorders that provoke undeserved shame and humiliation.  Stuttering is often dismissed as a minor hindrance, when in fact it can negatively impact a person's entire life.

Former Vice President Joseph Biden, a lifelong stutterer and an advocate of the Institute, said he would not trade his stuttering because of what it taught him and often echoes his mother's advice that "Stuttering does not define who you are."

Other well-known people who stutter include CEO Jack Welch, NBA star Kenyon Martin, and TDAmeritrade Chairman Joe Moglia. King George VI of England is perhaps the most well-known historic figure who stuttered and whose life was brilliantly portrayed by Oscar® winner Colin Firth in The King's Speech.  The film thrust a welcome spotlight on stuttering and raised public awareness of this speech disorder.

About the American Institute for Stuttering
The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS), a leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, offers state-of-the-art speech therapy to people of all ages who stutter, guidance to their families, and much-needed clinical training to professionals. AIS is committed to advancing public understanding of stuttering and worked in Washington, D.C. to increase federal funding for research. 

For more information about stuttering and AIS, please visit http://stutteringtreatment.org.

SOURCE American Institute for Stuttering

Related Links

http://stutteringtreatment.org