Understanding Stammering or Stuttering

Elaine Kelman is a speech and language therapist. She has worked in the field of stammering for over 25 years and at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children since it opened in 1994. She is a specialist in the treatment of stammering and works with children of all ages as well as adults. She works extensively with parents, helping them to support their children effectively. Alison Whyte is a journalist and health writer. She has a son who first received therapy at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children when he was 9. He is now 21 and still has contact with the centre. She has been writing about health and social issues for 25 years, and has written about stammering for the Guardian and health and education journals. Both Elaine and Alison live in London, UK.

This book is a fantastic resource for parents and families, as well as for teaching staff and support workers. The authors state their hope that this book will help parents and families understand what stammering is and how it affects children, parents and families, as well as providing useful advice on how to support the child who stammers. These readable, clearly presented chapters are very likely to achieve this.

• Foreword by Michael Palin. Introduction. What Young People say about Stammering. 1. Stammering: The Facts. 2. How it Feels to Have a Stammer. 3. What Helps, What Doesn't. 4. Parents. 5. Teachers. 6. Information and Resources. References.