Cartoons and Kids Who Stutter Star in New DVD!

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Kids who stutter have a lot to say in Stuttering: For Kids By Kids, the new DVD starring real kids who stutter, available free online in both English and Spanish.

Many children who stutter have never met anyone else who does! But in this new DVD from the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, they meet other kids who stutter. They recount how to handle challenges like bullying, teasing, and speaking out in class; they even teach others kids and teachers about stuttering.

Swish, a lively and engaging animated basketball character designed by students at Purdue University, narrates the 12-minute show.

The children, who range in age from first-graders to teens, offer frank and sometimes differing views of stuttering.

Matthew, age 10, says about his speech difficulties, "It’s no big deal;" but 9-year old Kate worries about talking, what is going to happen next and whether or not she’ll stutter.

Arianne, age 14, says, "The hardest part about stuttering is to get through it and to stay in there when you’re stuck."

Umang, age 12, agrees, "Sometimes it gets kind of annoying when you want to say something and you can’t. I also worry about what other people might think if I do stutter and wonder if I’ll be able to get out of my blocks and things."

"Everyone interested in helping kids learn more about stuttering will want to see this tape," said speech-language pathologist Joe Donaher, Ph.D., of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. "The children featured are a perfect example of how to openly and honestly handle stuttering. This important tool should be in the hands of everyone who lives and works with kids who stutter."

Professionals who contributed to this production include Joe Donaher, Ph.D., Kristin Chmela, M.A., of Northwestern University, Lisa Scott, Ph.D., of The Florida State University, and Lee Caggiano, M.A., of the support group for children, Friends.

The new DVD is available online at the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, www.stutteringhelp.org and www.tartamudez.org, in both English and Spanish

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.

Bob Love

Bob Love has dreamt about being a great public speaker since his early days in Bastrop Louisiana, even though, as a young man, he could barely put two words together, let alone speak a full sentence.

In spite of his severe stuttering disability, Bob Love, the son of a sharecropper, rose to become a Chicago Bulls NBA superstar, whose records were eventually surpassed by Michael Jordan. Throughout his entire athletic career, Bob Love kept his stuttering a secret from the fans who adored him, thinking he could do his “talking” on the basketball court.

Lewis Carroll

The recent Disney version of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice in Wonderland, garnered a great deal of media hype. Even though the mainstream media has not made mention that Carroll was a person who stuttered, his family history gives credence to the discovery of the genetic link to stuttering. Carroll was born to parents who were first cousins; almost all of their eleven children, three girls and seven boys, struggled with stuttering past childhood.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.