Stuttering

Child & Youth Stuttering

If your child stutters, don’t wait to get help. A consultation during the first 6 months of stuttering is strongly recommended. The critical window for intervention should occur within 18 months to have the greatest impact on altering speech patterns. If left unchecked, stuttering can affect social and emotional development and cause feelings of helplessness, isolation, depression and anxiety. If your family has a history of stuttering, cluttering, stammering or avoiding speaking, a consultation is recommended as soon as stuttering is noticed. Preventative tips and therapy techniques are essential for families with a history of stuttering. A brief one hour investment in time may provide critical stuttering advice to avoid long term concerns.

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What is the SpeechEasy® fluency-enhancing device?

SpeechEasy is a combination of proven technology and techniques which can be used to reduce stuttering. Worn in one ear and similar in appearance to a hearing aid, SpeechEasy has helped thousands increase their ability to communicate effectively and confidently.

SpeechEasy devices alter sounds that go through the device so that you hear your voice at a slight time delay and at a different pitch. The purpose of the delay and pitch change is to recreate a natural phenomenon known as the “choral effect.” The choral effect occurs when your stutter is dramatically reduced or even eliminated when you speak or sing in unison with others. This choral effect has been well documented for decades and SpeechEasy utilizes it in a small, wearable device that can be used in everyday life.

The National Stuttering Association

The National Stuttering Association (NSA) is the largest self-help support organization in the United States for people who stutter. The Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA) was founded by Malcom Fraser to educate communities about stuttering.

Nancy Barcal, M.A., CCC-SLP has been a passionate advocate and volunteer for the stuttering community. She held one of the first NSP/NSA groups in the Bay Area of San Francisco in 1983 with the support of John Albach and Michael Sugarman. The NSA was originally called the National Stuttering Project.

In addition to supporting NSA groups, Nancy Barcal along with her team at Granite Bay Speech have been involved with community outreaches relating to stuttering as well. This involvement includes volunteer work for stuttering groups and events, sponsoring the production of the film “When I Stutter”, and donating to school districts that support speech therapy for stuttering. All of these acts of service are detailed on our Caring for the Community page!