New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-20

that II Is singular that a greater inter
est is not taken in measures for their
correction and removal. Individual
| sufferers, parents and teachers often
remain wofully negligent of any well
directed effort to alleviate these dis
tressful conditions.
Frequently this negligence is the re.
suit of needing the counsel of diSin-
teTested persons, and even the family
physician, who advise to let the child
alone, for as it gets older it will out
grow such habits.
To ascertain first hand information
from those who ought to know, the
Tribune Education Bureau interviewed
DR.. Frank A. Bryant, specialist in the
correction Of speech impediments for
many years. DR.. Bryant said: while
great many children do outgrow early
imperfections in speech, there are also
a great many who do not. II child
continues to stammer beyond one year
after beginning it is pretty sure to re-
tain the habi: permanently"
As to what should be done where
child shows tendencies to stammer or
- stutter, the doctor further stated
that those who have the welfare of the
child in charge should approach the
subject in a thoughtful intelligent
manner. In the first place, they should
| realize that its defective speech is
| solely the result of mental confusion
! and of mind pTecocity. Only very
( few children show the affection on
/ their first attempts TO speak. Usually
! there is a period of from one TO FIVE
/ years Of normal speech after the child
has begun to repeat what it has heard.
! This being the case, coupled with the
! fact that at times all words are ut
/ tered plainly. even after the child has
1 begun to stutteT badly, indicates that
! there is no malformstion or organic
| Cefect in the speech organs themselves.
1t is not until the mind has developed
| sufficiently for the child to take an
! interest in the affairs of life that the
! trouble manifests itself. Up to :his
time the workings OF the natural re-
| fexes have enabled the child 10 repeat,
parrot like. the sounds and words 1t
has heard; but as soon as the ind!-
viduality asserts itself. then d desire
C. express its own particular thoughts
brings new factors into the creation
and transmission Of the speech IN
pulses. Interest and eagerneSs now
throw such an amount OF nervous eN-
citement and force upon the tiny
muscles OF the undeveloped speech or
cans that they are overwhelmed. They
cannot perform their normal function
at a rate Of speed proportionate TO the
amount and character of the mental
stimuli received, hence confusion and
disorder result.
1t is an error to associate STAN ncr-
ing with sluggish or stupid mind. IL
may sometimes occur. but Ut IS nearly
always the highly organized, sensitive
child whose intellectual and cmotlcnal
faculties develop earlier than the cor.
responding physical conditions that
shows suffering IN early chhdhood;
Soon this confusion and lack OF control
! take place every time all unusual men
tai impulse seeks an outlet ~ "pcech.
Thus a habit spasm is formed, CHIEFLY
mental as 10 cause, but in connecting
manner extending TO the muscles OF
speech, which as often as 1t Is repeated
/ is made stronger; so that III time, even
( if mental alterations be absent, bad
muscle habit is also established.
! Or. Bryant states that his experience
has shown that the time par excel
( lenCe to correct StSmnerinS IS IN Its
| early stages, before il has had an
opportunity to make deep impression
upon the mind Of the little sufferer.
On this account, the words stamrnering
and suffering should never be men,
toned in the child's presence. 1t
should never know that its little speech
mistakes were likely TO lead to any
thing serious. !: should be taught that
such mistakes were to c corrected only
because they were not pretty ways to
talk. Frequently, an unthinking per-
SON will enter a room and exelaim in
tn. hearing of the child: "Why, how
dreadfully that child suffers. If it
were mine / should be worried to
death" Such statement is bound to
make a mental impression that will add
tks element of fear to that of confu-