Web Site A Real Hit

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (July 2, 2007) — With more than 1.5 million page hits per month, the Stuttering Foundation's Web site,www.stutteringhelp.org, is popular with parents, teachers, teens, physicians and other professionals as a way to find valuable information on this complex and distressing disorder.

In fact, www.stutteringhelp.org is the leading site on Google, MSN, AOL and Yahoo for those seeking help with stuttering.

"We know of no other charity today that offers so many free resources," says Jane Fraser, president of the 60-year-old nonprofit Foundation.

The Web site includes five free streaming videos that discuss stuttering in depth for parents, teachers, kids, teens and parents who speak Spanish.

"My students who stutter use this site to learn more about famous people who stutter," says teacher Katie Lenell of South Bend, Ind. "When they see that James Earl Jones or John Stossel stutter, they recognize that stuttering doesn't need to hold them back."

Basketball star Kenyon Martin, 20/20 co-anchor John Stossel, actors James Earl Jones and Bruce Willis, singers Carly Simon and Mel Tillis are just a few of the many people highlighted at /.

Here are some of the most misunderstood aspects of stuttering:

Myth: People who stutter are not smart.
Reality: There is no link whatsoever between stuttering and intelligence.

Myth: Nervousness causes stuttering.
Reality: Nervousness does not cause stuttering. Nor should we assume that people who stutter are prone to be nervous, fearful, anxious or shy. They have the same full range of personality traits as those who do not stutter.

Myth: Stuttering can be "caught" through imitation or by hearing another person stutter.
Reality: You can't "catch" stuttering. Recent research indicates that family history (genetics), neurological development, the child's environment and family dynamics all play a role in the onset of stuttering.

Myth: It helps to tell a person to "take a deep breath," or "think about what you want to say."
Reality: This advice only makes a person more self-conscious, making the stuttering worse. More helpful responses include listening patiently and using slower and clearer speech yourself.

Myth: Stress causes stuttering.
Reality: As mentioned above, many complex factors are involved in the onset of stuttering. Stress is not the cause, but it can aggravate stuttering.

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.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.

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.

Frank Wolf

This Virginian congressman has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1981. The longtime supporter of the Stuttering Foundation drew national attention to childhood stuttering in 2006 when he submitted an article about Tiger Woods from the SFA newsletter to the Congressional Record. The congressman is featured in the Stuttering Foundation's Famous People Who Stutter brochure.

Winston Churchill

Seeking to "remove Winston Churchill's stutter by second guessing the diagnosis" indicates neither a truthful retelling of history nor an informed opinion about a complex speech disorder, say experts in the field of speech-language pathology.

Recent news reports that quote Dr. John Mather, a Washington physician, as saying that Churchill's stutter "is a lie" brought adamant critical response from specialists in the field of stuttering and fluency disorders.