[Next]
From: Ken St. Louis
Date: 10/20/00
Time: 4:22:49 PM
Remote Name: 157.182.12.51
As this 3rd on-line conference comes to a close, I want to express my thanks to all of the people who participated in these discussions. I'd like to think of my comments not as "professing" but as offering another (hopefully) informed opinion. I firmly believe that nobody has a corner on the truth, but I am sure that seeking the opinions of competent people of good will is the best way to get as close to it as possible.
There is hope for those who live with stuttering. Especially to the parents who are struggling for direction and answers to the heartbreaking circumstance of a son or daughter who is beginning to stutter, I want to say again that many of these children recover completely. Yet even for those who don't, or for older stutterers who are not seeking that elusive goal of complete fluency, there is hope as well. Therapies can be effective in most cases. Self-help groups are continuing sources of support and guidance. Information is increasingly available for those who seek it. We have begun the process of recognizing specialist in treating fluency disorders.
For three years, I have been collecting stories from adults who stutter or used to stutter and from parents whose children either stutter or used to stutter. These stories, like the discussions here, often mention the pain and suffering that stuttering can cause, but in nearly every case they also highlight the courage and triumphs of real people overcoming adversity. I plan to continue to communicate those positive messages to those who stutter and their relatives as well as students and practitioners who seek to help and guide them.
Thanks to Judy and Michael for their efforts in making this conference a success. It has been a privilege to be a part of it.
Ken