19 October, 2004
1% Of Kiwi's Do It
What do Marilyn Monroe, King George VIth, Isaac Newton and Bruce Willis all have in common? They all stuttered.
Stuttering is a speech disorder that affects one percent of the population. Although we can’t pinpoint the exact cause
of stuttering we know that it affects people in every culture and speaking every language in the world.
October 22nd is International Stuttering Awareness Day and 2004 is the International Year of the Stuttering Child so
this year we’ve got double the reason to be talking about stuttering.
At the Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust (START) in Auckland, we want to increase awareness about stuttering, the
effect it can have on people and how you can help if you know someone who stutters.
The aim of International Stuttering Awareness Day is to communicate the following messages:
Stuttering, whether it is mild or severe, can have a significant impact on people’s lives.
Early intervention for childhood stuttering is best.
Treatment is available for adults who stutter
There are ‘Speakeasy’ support groups for adults who stutter located throughout the country.
People can contact their local speech language therapist by looking under Ministry of Education, Special Education, in
the front of the phone book (for children) or by contacting their local hospital (for adults). People living in the
Auckland region can contact the Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust for help for adults and children.
ENDS