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Despite the fact that stuttering affects more than three million Americans, many individuals still misunderstand this common speech disability. One of the Stuttering Foundation’s goals is to provide the best and most up-to-date information available to help dispel any myths that still exist.

Year after year, one of the most frequently asked questions we receive, usually from parents of a child who stutters, is a simple one to answer. Do I need to do anything special when talking with a child who stutters?

It takes vulnerability to put yourself out there, especially when there’s a risk of being turned down. Open yourself up and take the chance; you never know what could happen.

For as long as I can remember, I have coped with a “speech block,” a type of stuttering that momentarily causes unexpected breaks in my speech.

For years, my stutter was the thing that caused a lot of self-doubt, negativity, and held me back. My stutter would cause me to talk negatively to and be mad at myself. Through years of self-growth and introspection, I no longer allow myself to talk ill about myself or be mad at myself because of my stutter.

On the night of August 31, I called four games of bingo. That was not something I had on my list of things to do that day nor was it on the list of things I thought I would ever do.

I had to convince myself that I am enough and having self-doubt is part of being human. That those who truly love and care for me value my happiness over my perceived success. That my work is changing so many lives. That I am doing well and doing good in life. That I must forgive my hard days.

Stuttering does does not make me less of a p-person. My new friends Jordyn and Nate are just as c-c-cool as me.