A young child wakes up one morning unable to communicate. He struggles with words, stuttering out phrases he yesterday spoke with ease. He is embarrassed and upset. His mother is bewildered and frightened. But his disability can be overcome.
More than three million people in America struggle with stuttering, according to Jane Fraser, whose father Malcolm Fraser, a lifelong stutterer, founded the Stuttering Foundation of America, a nonprofit organization which has helped those with the speech disorder for 55 years.
"When I get on the phone with moms, they're panicked," says Fraser, Stuttering Foundation president. "I talk with them, giving them immediate ways to help their child."
Stuttering is a highly misunderstood disability, the only one that people still laugh at, says Fraser. But there is increasingly effective treatment, particularly if the problem is diagnosed early.
Recognized as an authoritative source of information on stuttering, the Foundation's toll-free hotline, 800-992-9392, answers 24,000 calls each year, offering free information. The Web site receives over 100,000 hits, and a public awareness campaign reaches millions annually with a message of hope and help.
National conferences train speech-language pathologists in treatment techniques, drawing professionals from as far away as New Zealand and Jordan. Foundation books, videotapes and other publications make an impact on stutterers worldwide.
Still, the Foundation's work comes down to helping each individual who stutters.
"We hear back every day from parents who tell us that the initial phone call and materials made a significant difference," says Fraser. "While the Foundation's ultimate hope is for a cure, its focus and energies are devoted to providing real help today for people of all ages."
For more information, call the Stuttering Foundation at 800-992-9392, visit the web site at stutteringhelp.org.