St. Rita's Medical Center

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SpeechEasy®
Introducing a New Anti-stuttering Device

For years, it has been known that people who stutter tend to become more fluent when they speak in unison with another person. This phenomenon, referred to as the choral effect, can be seen when a person who stutters becomes more fluent when singing in a choir or reciting text within a crowd.

Working collaboratively, the Audiology and Speech Departments at St. Rita's Medical Center are introducing SpeechEasy®, a new device to help those with stuttering problems. This device, which resembles a hearing aid, creates the illusion of the choral speech pattern by delaying the patient's hearing of his/her own voice for a matter of milliseconds. The use of Delayed Audio Feedback (DAF) helps the patient block the stutter.

Dennis Durst, AuD, audiologist at St. Rita's Audiology, reports, "The social problems connected with those who suffer from a stuttering disorder are very painful. This new anti-stuttering device gives much promise for better speech patterns and improved social interactions."

For more information, contact the Audiology Department at (419) 226-9341 or click here.

For More Information (419) 226-9341

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