Lidcombe Stuttering Archives - All Island Stuttering & Speech Therapy : All Island Stuttering & Speech Therapy

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Hello I stutter, Do you hear me? My name is Lori..The non traditional speech pathologist…

Stuttering? Who understands how I speak? How loud do I have to scream to be heard? I remember being 5 and told I should do a play for my parents, being 8 and doing art projects, being 15 and filling out questionnaires and then age 22 filling out the stuttering instruments for assessment. I have no memory of who these people were but I do remember feeling invisible. No child or adult should do it this way. Did anyone hear me? Could they stop writing notes? Does anyone know how to help me? Aren’t you a speech pathologist? Stop reading. I am a person. Will anyone ask about me, my hobbies, my life? The pain is still there. I became a speech pathologist. Not only did I learn how to speak more fluently with confidence, I learned to help most people I work with who stutter. Never doubt how much […]

Posted on December 1, 2020 8:46 pm by Lori Melnitsky

Stuttering Misconceptions that will blow you away….

Stuttering is complex. However many times people jumped to conclusions. As someone who stuttered severely and specializes in helping others who stutter , I am here to transform these statements into the truth: Common misconceptions: 1.People who stutter (PWS) are nervous-false, anxiety could increase stuttering or stuttering could increase speaking fears but everyone is different. 2. People who Stutter (PWS) are unintelligent-false 3. People who Stutter need help finishing their sentences-false. It can increase stuttering. 4. PWS need others to say slow down or take a breath-also false. 5. PWS are all males-false-higher percentage in males but females can stutter too For more information about stuttering, please visit www.allislandspeech.com or email Lori@allislandspeech.com

Posted on October 27, 2020 1:27 am by Lori Melnitsky

What causes stuttering?

What Causes Stuttering? (This was adapted from the Stuttering Foundation of America) Stuttering Facts and Information What is stuttering? Stuttering is a communication disorder in which the flow of speech is broken by repetitions (li-li-like this), prolongations (lllllike this), or abnormal stoppages (no sound) of sounds and syllables. There may also be unusual facial and body movements associated with the effort to speak. Stuttering is also referred to as stammering. What causes stuttering? There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately 60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also); child development (children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter); neurophysiology (recent neurological research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations and fast-paced lifestyles can contribute to stuttering). […]

Posted on June 3, 2020 9:00 pm by Lori Melnitsky

How can you help your child who stutters over telehealth…

During these stressful times stuttering can increase. Even in a pandemic stuttering can be helped. Despite homework and chaos, children deserve to communicate. If your child is stuttering several things can be done to get them help. These include: Reduce questions…comment more.. Allow more time to speak..pause before answering Do not interrupt Do not allow them to interrupt you Help them phrase out your words… Positive praise Take turns Keep good eye contact If you are interested in our Lidcombe Plus parent program please email Lori@allislandspeech.com www.allislandspeech.com

Posted on May 5, 2020 12:54 am by Lori Melnitsky

Masks-The impact on communication, speech and hearing…It will be huge..

The real and new truth is this.. We will all have to have more patient now. Of course wearing masks is essential for our health but it does create communication and hearing issues. It has become our new normal. I just came back from the supermarket, which has been a stressful experience for all. I While ordering items from the deli counter I realized people were repeating items three times due to the fact that it is harder to project or see lips. People who are are hearing impaired often read lips. Well, those days are gone. People who stutter need airflow to talk and it is harder to breathe in masks. Someone who suffered a stroke might get frustrated if not understood. People have asthma, kids have oral motor issues or apraxia. The list goes on and on. It is also a little scary not recognizing people. With that […]

Posted on April 23, 2020 7:45 pm by Lori Melnitsky

How to help your child with ADHD?

Take a break… Give yourself a chance to breathe as a parent and realize that not all children develop at the same time.. ADHD Parenting Tips Learn what you can do to manage your child’s behavior and deal with common ADHD challenges. How to help your child with ADHD Life with a child or teen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) can be frustrating, even overwhelming. But as a parent you can help your child overcome daily challenges, channel their energy into positive arenas, and bring greater calm to your family. And the earlier and more consistently you address your child’s problems, the greater chance they have for success in life. Children with ADHD generally have deficits in executive function: the ability to think and plan ahead, organize, control impulses, and complete tasks. That means you need to take over as the executive, providing extra guidance while your child […]

Posted on January 28, 2020 11:57 pm by Lori Melnitsky

Understanding preschool stuttering….

STUTTERING IN YOUNG CHILDREN Tips parents need to know. by LORI MELNITSKY, MA, CCC-SLP posted in CHILD DEVELOPMENT Isn’t it wonderful that some of our best learning stems from personal experiences? Many years ago, my 2½-year-old daughter came home from a sleepover at her grandparent’s house. She was repeating whole words and phrases. Additionally, she was prolonging sounds in words (“ssssssand”) and seemingly unaware of how she sounded. As a speech/language pathologist who stutters, I knew that many children experience stuttering or disfluencies at an early age. Still, as any parent would be, I was concerned and worried. Many questions had to be answered. I admit, my gut reaction was to say all the wrong things to my daughter that I had heard early in my childhood, such as “slow down,” “breathe,” “say the words over” and “don’t be nervous.” However, I knew these suggestions, though all well-intended, were more harmful than helpful. […]

Posted on January 17, 2020 11:20 pm by Lori Melnitsky

2020 brings a fluency program for adults who stutter to talk fluently: a 17 year old talks…

My initial intake of 17 year old Bruce , a junior in high school: To the listener he stuttered mildly. Inside he was suffering and changing words constantly to talk. The fear of stuttering was enormous and was causing emotional damage. Me: Why do you want an intensive stuttering program? Bruce: Because I cannot talk to my friends or say my name. I feel my palms sweat. I run out of the class when I am called on. I want to go to college and not hide. I need to be able to say my name. He asked me this…What is the point of doing well in school if I cannot talk? two months later: Me: Did the course help you? Bruce: Lori, I asked a girl to the prom. My palms do not sweat. I can say my name. I work hard to practice. I cannot thank you enough.. […]

Posted on December 31, 2019 9:33 pm by Lori Melnitsky Leave your thoughts

Wow…MPI 2 graduate… Stuttering to Fluency……

Jake stuttered. Was terrified of speaking. This is why he took the program- 1. Took the program because I was tired of conventional therapy not helping me and was intrigued by the biofeedback aspect of the program. 2. Helped me by changing my pattern of speech to be more flowing and smooth. Made me aware of what words and phrases caused me to stutter and how to handle it. The program instructions allowed me to speak to new people with the headset on and desensitized me to new situations. 3. Stuttering is sometimes debilitating for me. I was in a dark place and thought I’d never be able to accept the fact that I stutter. Through this program and therapy with Lori, I’ve become more accepting and have learned the tools and techniques to manage my stutter. It doesn’t define me anymore. age 22 college senior Please click to watch […]

Posted on December 13, 2019 1:01 am by Lori Melnitsky Leave your thoughts

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