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From: Lou Heite
Date: 10/10/00
Time: 5:23:48 PM
Remote Name: 155.247.229.137
Thank you for the kind words, Gunars. I would hesitate to say that there is _more_ covert than overt stuttering, but the covert and unrecognized stutterers are a real problem for those of us who want to understand this disorder. The very characteristic that makes covert stuttering so interesting, its covertness, also puts it pretty much out of reach for people who would work with it. One thing I will state is that the naive listener probably does not recognize half of the stutterers s/he encounters. That unrecognized half can include mild and controlled stutterers, as well as covert ones. One other important point is that kids who present with difficult behavior in the classroom might have something else going on. A wise teacher will look below the surface of the behavior, to see if there is a cause that can be addressed more effectively.
Lou Heite