What do celebrities Ed Sheeran, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt have in common?
All three have struggled with stuttering — and they are not alone.
Seventy million people around the world stutter. Five percent of all children stutter, with some 80 percent outgrowing it. Stuttering affects boys more than girls at a ratio of at least 3-1.
National Stuttering Awareness Week runs May 9-13. I am president of The Stuttering Foundation, the world’s leading nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to the research and treatment of stuttering. Our foundation offers free materials and support through its website www.StutteringHelp.org and toll-free helpline 800-992-9392.
When visiting the foundation website, children, teens, adults, parents, therapists, doctors, and teachers can find special sections on stuttering tailored to their specific needs. Search for the Stuttering Foundation on Facebook or Twitter for daily posts of inspiration, information and hope.
If you stutter, you are not alone. We are here to help.