How to treat stuttering in old age

Stuttering is a common language disorder in life. There are many reasons for stuttering. Severe stuttering will affect social interaction and cause serious psychological problems. Therefore, when stuttering occurs, it must be treated in time. There are many treatment methods, such as pronunciation training methods and abdominal breathing methods. Let us learn how to treat stuttering in the elderly.

How to treat stuttering in old age

Stuttering not only affects a person's daily life, but also affects a person's psychology. Therefore, when stuttering occurs, it is important to seek timely treatment. So how to treat stuttering?

1. Pronunciation

It means pronouncing the words softly at the beginning of each sentence, changing the characteristic of stutterers who often pronounce the first word quickly and heavily. The speaking speed should be reduced to a very slow level, starting with 60-100 words per minute, while people usually speak at a speed of 200 words per minute.

This has two effects: first, the slow pace makes people calmer, and second, it creates a sense of rhythm. Both of these points can effectively reduce stuttering. People who stutter do not stutter when reciting or singing because there is a stable sense of rhythm in it.

2. Breathing

Abdominal breathing is advocated. Because deep breathing can enable muscles to achieve proper exercise and coordination, it can relax and ease the tension in various parts of the body and facial muscles and gradually eliminate accompanying movements. Deep breathing can affect people's emotions and can ease and calm excited emotions.

3. Breakthrough method

The main thing is to organize patients with stuttering together or go individually to crowded places to give speeches or sing, etc. This can gradually overcome the patients' fear.

4. Morita Therapy

Morita therapy is a method of treating mental illness. Its core idea is "go with the flow and do what you should do." Give up treatment for stuttering, accept stuttering, and do what you should do. This idea is similar to recovery without treatment. This method can effectively relieve the psychological pressure of stuttering patients.

5. Medication

There are several antidopaminergic drugs that can suppress stuttering, including haloperidol, risperidone, and olanzapine. The efficacy of these drugs in reducing stuttering has been tested in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies.

There are currently some anti-dopamine drugs that can suppress stuttering. These drugs can generally reduce the patient's stuttering level by 33% to 55%. However, the side effects of haloperidol are greater, so it is less used. The side effects of risperidone and olanzapine are relatively smaller.

6. Silent Therapy

Speak less or not at all when you are nervous or anticipate stuttering. Stuttering is a conditioned reflex. Years of stuttering will strengthen your conditioned reflexes.

However, in a stressful environment, speaking less or not speaking at all can reduce the chance of stuttering, and the conditioned reflex of stuttering will gradually fade and eventually disappear.

It should be emphasized that using this method does not mean that you should not speak or speak less. On the contrary, you need to communicate with people frequently and listen more. Just when you are occasionally nervous or anticipate stuttering, you should speak less.