By: Rachel Hoge | Girl, interrupted: the science behind my stutter – and what not to say to me | Neuroscience | The Guardian
People tend to be misinformed about stammering. Here’s why finishing my sentences or telling me to ‘slow down’ doesn’t help
I’ve heard the misconceptions for most of my life.
“Just slow down,” a stranger told me as a child. “You’re talking too fast – that’s why you stutter!” Later on, as my stutter carried on into adolescence and adulthood, strangers and loved ones alike offered up their own judgments of my speech –usually incorrect. Some have good intentions when it comes to sharing their opinions about my stutter. Others … not so much. But everyone shares one defining characteristic: they’re misinformed.
Related: Believe it or not, having a stammer can be a kind of a gift | Peter Ormerod
Related: Stuttering mouse experiment sheds light on common human speech disorder
Related: The monster in my mouth: Maggie O’Farrell on fighting her stammer
