Self-Help+for+Communication+Disorders

**Self-help groups** **Many people find that they achieve their greatest success through a combination of self-study and therapy. Self-help groups provide a way for people who stutter to find resources and support as they face the challenges of stuttering.**
 * You may feel like you are the only person in the world with a communication disorder.**  **That is not true! There are tons of people who can help you with you problem!**   **Have no fear, HELP IS HERE!**

 The following organizations provide information about speech, language, and/or swallowing disorders and some sponsor self-help groups: 
 * [|Aphasia Hope Foundation] **
 *  913-402-8306 **


 * [|Autism Society of America] **
 *  800-3-AUTISM, ext. 150 **
 *  301-657-0881 **


 * [|Babies and Sign Language] **


 * [|The Brain Injury Association] **
 *  703-236-6000 **


 * [|The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association] **
 *  412-767-6589 **
 *  412-767-0534 (Fax) **
 *  E-mail: <span style="color: #1e6abc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">helpdesk@apraxia-kids.org **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|Disaboom.com] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Online community for individuals living with disabilities **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|International Association of Laryngectomees] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 866-425-3678 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 209-472-0516 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> E-mail: <span style="color: #1e6abc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">ial@larynxlink.com **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|International Dyslexia Association] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 800-ABCD-123 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 410-296-0232 **


 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #1e6abc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">[|Learning Disabilities Association of America] (LDA) **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 412-341-1515 **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|Little Baby Face Foundation] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 135 East 74th Street **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> New York, NY 10021 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 212-333-5233 **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> [|National Aphasia Association] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 800-922-4622 (V/TTY) **


 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #1e6abc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">[|National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association, Inc] . **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 800-795-6732 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> E-mail: <span style="color: #1e6abc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">NSDA@dysphonia.org **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|National Stuttering Association] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 800-937-8888 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 212-944-4050 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 212-944-8244 (Fax) **


 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 233 Concord Drive **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Paramus, NJ 07652 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 201-262-0895 **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|Speech Disorder] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> A United Kingdom-based organization providing resources and information about speech and language disorders **


 * <span style="color: #1e6abc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[|Stuttering Foundation of America] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 800-992-9392 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 901-452-7343 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 901-452-3931 (Fax) **

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ===<span style="color: #cc1e1e; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">** Electronic devices  ** === <span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: #cc1e1e; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">** Some people who stutter use electronic devices to help control fluency. For example, one type of device fits into the ear canal, much like a hearing aid, and digitally replays a slightly altered version of the wearer’s voice into the ear so that it sounds as if he or she is speaking in unison with another person. In some people, electronic devices help improve fluency in a relatively short period of time. Nevertheless, questions remain about how long such effects may last and whether people are able to easily use these devices in real-world situations. For these ** <span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: #cc1e1e; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">** reasons, researchers are continuing to study the long-term effectiveness of these devices. **

===<span style="color: #cc1e1e; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">** <span style="color: #ff3c00; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Speech therapy ** ===
 * <span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Many of the current therapies for teens and adults who stutter focus on learning ways to minimize stuttering when they speak, such as by speaking more slowly, regulating their breathing, or gradually progressing from single-syllable responses to longer words and more complex sentences. Most of these therapies also help address the anxiety a person who stutters may feel in certain speaking situations. **

<span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A list of certified speech-language pathologists in your area may be obtained by calling the American Speech- Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) toll-free HELPLINE at 1-800-638- 8255.

=== <span style="color: #8c1d81; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">I Click --> I Talk **<span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I Click --> I Talk aims to make a difference in the world by giving everyone the opportunity to talk. ****<span style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I Click --> I Talk is perfect for all ages, all communication disabilities and languages. It is flexible because you can insert different types of pictures such as photographs, logos, complex drawings, or even written words. It's affordable because for only $39.99, you can start using an effective augmentative communication software. And, it's easy to use because many teachers and parents were asked about their needs and their preferences before it was developed. Dr. De Leo has been involved in the design, development, and testing of advanced technologies in the fields of Health Inforamtics and Health Education. He is also very active in the community helping children with disabilities. I Click --> I Talk runs on any Windows platform. ** ===



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