CONTENTS This is a threaded discussion page for the International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference paper, The neuro-physiological perspective as the grounds for corporal workout with people who stutter by Beatriz Biain de Touzet, (Argentina). Voice release From: Barbara Dahm Date: 10/5/98 Time: 1:46:43 PM Remote Name: 62.0.178.119 Comments I think you have touched on a very important need for people who stutter. I am especially interested in learning more about how to develop awareness of one's body in people who have little internal awareness and how you go about the voice release. Re: Voice release From: Beatriz TOUZET Date: 10/12/98 Time: 7:12:00 PM Remote Name: 134.29.30.79 Comments Voice release Thank you for your comment Sorry for the delay. Too much work here in Buenos Aires at this time because ISAD..! First: To develop awareness of one's body in people who stutter, I began to develop my own awareness of my own body. This allows me to realise that I had to work enough to myself. Many techniques helped me in this way: Milderman method, Yoga, massages, etc. After five years studying and practising I became instructor in corporal work, and so, I was able to understand other people. Working with the blocks of my body I could understand other blocks... Second: To work with voice release, I began first working with breathing, and corporal awareness; As speech pathologist I work also with the voice but in an integral approach. Handedness From: Barb Ennis Date: 10/6/98 Time: 12:33:48 AM Remote Name: 204.174.236.203 Comments I would be interested to know if there have been studies showing any correlations between development of language, especially stuttering, and development of handedness, especially left-handedness or ambidexterity. Re: Handedness From: Beatriz TOUZET Date: 10/12/98 Time: 7:12:32 PM Remote Name: 134.29.30.79 Comments Handedness Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay First: We have to make differences between problems of language development and stuttering development. In fact, we know that many difficulties of language development have in the basis a problem to establish cerebral dominance. In the other hand there is no correlation today between stuttering and left handedness or ambidextry if you are talking in terms of cause. What we know is differents ways of cerebral specialisation which changes because the cerebral plasticity; and different ways of processing information. ISAD in Argentina From: Judy Kuster Date: 10/16/98 Time: 2:43:16 PM Remote Name: 134.29.30.79 Comments Beatriz, I hope you don't mind my posting the exciting activities you have planned for ISAD in Argentina! Our activities in Argentina on the ISAD are: 1- We translate your Proclamation and we made 2000 paper to offer to: - Schools - On the street - Church - Hospital and clinicals - Shops - University 2- We made two ISAD poster: one for children and other for adults 3- We are organizing a October 22 Convention at the Buenos Aires University, to celebrate also the place of Argentina Stuttering Association there 4- STICKERS: "If you stutter you are not alone" 5- One publication in the Asociacion Argentina de Foniatria Audiologia y Logopedia 6- We have invited to our meeting at the University: speech-pathologist, students, graduated, people who stutter, teachers and the Self Help Group 7- We inform and invited people from the Health Commette.of our Parliament 8- In the Argentina Stuttering Association Buletin we have sent information about October 22 9- We sent posters to radio and TV programs 10- People who stutter have been worked in the Argentina Isad posters Our schedule for this day : - Presentation of the A.A.T. and the objetives - The ISAD celebration - A workshop with masks People who stutter parents - A workshop in communication specialist and speech - A drama sketch all together pathologist and general people - A video meeting: "Wine and empanadas" MUSIC and DANCE RBH Factors From: Chuck Goldman Date: 10/18/98 Time: 11:04:15 AM Remote Name: 152.163.206.194 Comments I was glad to see the disclaimer at the end of your article that reminded the reader that you were presenting a tool, not a therapy. Is it not appropriate for much of the intervention tools you suggested tobe considered in the domain of stuttering modification therapy since no specific fluency enhancement device is part of your presentation? Re: RBH Factors From: Beatriz TOUZET Date: 10/29/98 Time: 12:43:34 AM Remote Name: 200.0.198.46 Comments Chuck: Thank you for your comment As you have been red. I have presented a tool - And you are totally right : It is not for a specific fluency enhancement .., it is much more than that. It is for a specific communication enhancement and obviously fluency has some thing to do in this field. That's the reason why I work with the fluency speech and corporal workout TOGETHER to have a more global and integral treatment. Medication as a boost From: melissajo92@hotmail.com Date: 10/19/98 Time: 11:18:06 AM Remote Name: 207.109.214.34 Comments Hi, my name is Melissa, and I am currently working on my master in speech and language. I enjoyed your article in the sence that it gave me a good idea of how touchy the use of drugs can be in treating stuttering, and how individualized the decision has to be based. I have heard of doctors and psychiatrist prescribing drugs to patients with different psychological problems (e.g. anti-depressants to mildly depressed inividuals) as a means to give them a little "extra boost" in their therapy. Once the patient has gotten a handle on their disorder, they are slowly weened off of the medication. Can the use of drugs for stuttering be used in a similar fashion? I realize there are quite a few more variables and considerstions one needs to take when dealing with stuttering. If a doctor is pretty sure that the drug will effect a particular person in the desired way, could they be used as "boost" for their therapy? The goal being to provide the stutterer with more communicative success, and hopefully boosting their confidence. Then, weening them off of it, hoping that new behaviors/ coping strategies were learned thus improving their fluency. Would this be a proper way to use drugs in dealing with stuttering? I understand that this would not be an option for some stutterers who have a neurological or some other forms of stuttering. Thankyou, Melissa Anderson Dana Dirksen Re: Medication as a boost From: Beatriz TOUZET Date: 10/29/98 Time: 12:24:54 AM Remote Name: 200.0.198.46 Comments Hi, Melissa Thanks for your comments..! Many drugs have been used dealing with stuttering but, at the moment, there are no conclusive studies about it, and of course it depends of each particular case. Personally, I am not agreeing with drugs. I prefer thinking that together (speech- pathologist and person who stutter) we can found the way of stuttering more comfortable, with self control, and changing such attitudes as fear, shame, or social restrictions. 5th World Congress of People who Stutter From: Marlene Green Date: 10/19/98 Time: 10:26:22 PM Remote Name: 209.161.244.107 Comments Beatriz, well done on a fascinating article. Please contact me urgently at emrald@idirect.ca, as we must maintain the interaction begun in South Africa! Your workshop there remains a source of inspiration! I look forward to hearing from you here in Canada. Marlene