Show Blames Parents For Child that Stutters Stuttering Is t. something I a child thUd has hu to learn lum and he does to so be be- because CAu cause t he tears he Is I. going to stutter stutter ter and be criticised ed by hi hl his parents according to Wendell Johnson Ph lh D D. D. D nf M tows State university Dr Johnson who is U director of the university's university speech clinic at Iowa City addressed the 11 IlOth Oth annual annual an an- nual meeting of ot the Illinois State Medical society at Springfield Ill on the rehabilitation of the stutter er Currently he said In discussing discuss ing the cause the theor theory that Is U a learned lear form torm of ot behavior motivated mo mo- motivated i by anxiety concerning the I anticipated occurrence of ot non fluen I Icy cy and Its Ita social consequences appears appears appears ap ap- pears to be receiving particularly serious consideration The Issue is not closed dosed however and much research research re reo search remains to be done Parents nevertheless have much to do with the development of stuttering In their children which always appears between the ages of ot three and six six Dr Johnson said In fact stuttering appears in the majority of ot cases only after diagnosis dlag by Inexperienced people usually usually us us- the parents patents What these thee laymen diagnose as stuttering he continued Is a as a arule arule rule Hale merely the repetitions and end hesitations characteristic of nor nor- mat mal childhood speech The resulting result ing parental concern and end admonitions to the child to go slow take his time start over stop and think take a breath etc tend to bring about the tensions tension anxiety anxiety- and blocking symptomatic of stutter stutter- ing In very young in I fact Dr Johnson said the treatment treat treat- ment meat is directed at the parents not the child When parents modify modi mod fy their attitudes and policies regarding regarding re re- re- re garding gorging the child chUd the majority of children respond well and rapidly if it the disorder Is not too well fixed d. d |