Stamurai - Stuttering therapy & practice

Stamurai serves as a comprehensive app for treating stuttering, catering to a diverse range of users. Designed for individuals of all ages, this stuttering therapy application offers personalized options for daily practice at home.Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder that requires dedication and practice to overcome. Stamurai is a one-stop app designed to provide a customized stuttering treatment experience for users of all ages. It combines guidance from speech-language pathologists with engaging exercises to help individuals on their journey to fluent and confident speech. Stamurai supplies the encouragement and engagement necessary to continue making progress on the path to fluent and assured speech.

This platform is developed by individuals who experience stuttering, providing insights from speech-language professionals and therapists.Discover essential information regarding the underlying causes of stuttering, available treatments, and speech therapy techniques. Learn, practice, and implement modifications and fluency-enhancing strategies to enhance your communication in everyday interactions.Stamurai includes detailed tutorials for more than 30 speech exercises, such as pausing, pull-outs, preparatory sets, cancellations, light articulatory contacts, easy onsets, diaphragmatic breathing, and slowed speech.

Reasons for Relapse and How Stamurai Helps

Failure to Practice

Many people who undergo speech therapy may relapse due to a lack of practice. Stamurai addresses this issue by offering engaging exercises and reminders to help users maintain their practice routine. The app makes it convenient for users to practice regularly, whether they are paying for therapy out of pocket or through insurance.

Lack of Motivation

Speech therapy requires a lot of hard work, and the repetitive nature of it can lead to a lack of motivation. Stamurai makes the practice more interesting by allowing users to pair speech therapy with activities they enjoy, such as shooting hoops or solving puzzles. This helps keep users engaged and motivated to continue their therapy.

Lack of Monitoring

Without professional guidance, it's easy to make mistakes during speech therapy. Stamurai provides useful cues about the quality of practice and progress, helping users stay on track and correct any errors. It strikes a balance between monitoring and not being too hard on oneself, which is essential for successful stuttering treatment.

Here’s what you can accomplish with Stamurai 

1.Practice reading out loud, document your voice, and identify disfluencies.

2.Engage in guided meditation aimed at teaching crucial breathing techniques that support fluency.

3.Hone your breathing skills and manage your exhalation while speaking.

4.Gain insight into your speech mechanism's functions and challenges by answering straightforward questions.

5.Utilize delayed auditory feedback (DAF) to help with auditory processing challenges.

6.Maintain daily logs similar to those used in the Lidcombe Program.

Participate in moderated group sessions where you can discuss new techniques and connect with other users worldwide, enabling practical experience in a supportive environment.

How to utilize Stamurai – Stammering & Stuttering Speech Therapy:

1.Download and open the stuttering therapy application.

2.Answer several questions regarding your speech challenges to customize your treatment plan.

3.Begin daily speech exercises tailored to your needs.

4.Explore information about stuttering treatment, engage in routine practice, and work towards fluent communication.

5.Monitor your advancement based on your day-to-day performance.

Features of Stamurai – Stammering & Stuttering Speech Therapy:

1.User-friendly interface specifically designed for speech therapy.

2.Assessment tools to determine the extent of stuttering.

3.Tailored treatment plans reflecting your unique speech situation.

4.Engaging exercises crafted by specialized speech pathologists.

5.Comprehensive overview of your individualized weekly and monthly therapy schedules.

6.Estimated timeframe for observing improvements in your speech.

7.Options for tracking your progress based on regular use of the app.

8.Resources including delayed auditory feedback (DAF), meditation, breathing techniques for reducing stutter, and counseling strategies.

FAQS

What is stuttering?

Stuttering or stammering is a childhood-onset speech fluency disorder. It is a communication disorder. A person who stutters has their speech flow interrupted by repetitions, prolongations and blocks. They can repeat or prolong a sound, syllable or entire word.

The person can also exhibit unusual facial movements or body movements in an effort to get a word out. Learn more about stuttering right here.

Are stuttering and stammering different?

Stuttering and stammering are synonymous. When a person faces disruptions in their flow of speech due to repetitions, prolongations and blocks they are said to stutter or stammer.

What is causing my child to stammer?

Typically four factors contribute to stuttering or stammering.

These factors include:

Genetics – There are multiple chromosomes that carry faulty or anomalous genes that correspond to stuttering. These genes can be passed down from the parents to their children. Current research shows that over 60% of the people who stutter have a family member who stutters as well. So, if you ask whether stuttering is hereditary, the answer is ‘yes.’

Neurophysiology – Brain imaging studies show significant differences in brain structure and function between those who stutter and those who don’t. Sommer et al (2002) studied the density of white matter fibre tracts in the left operculum of stuttering participants and a control group. Those who stutter showed less dense white matter fibre tracts that connect sensory, planning and motor areas.

Development – Children with other developmental disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder may be more prone to stuttering. You can read our guide on stuttering in preschool children for more information.

Environment – Overly competitive family environment, sudden changes in family dynamics, changes at school or a change in neighbourhood can bring about stuttering in an already vulnerable population of children. Children who don’t have any family members who stutter are less likely to develop stuttering under psychologically stressful situations.

How many children across the globe stammer?

Close to 5% of all children go through a phase of stammering. This phase can last from a couple of months or more. Although around 75% of children who have begun stuttering between the ages of 2 and 4 will recover. Around 1% of the children will retain their stuttering. A family history of stuttering and other developmental disorders are good indicators if the child will recover soon or have a lifelong stutter.

What is the best stuttering treatment for children?

Early intervention with speech therapy is the best tool for stuttering treatment irrespective of the child’s age. The younger the child, the better are the outcomes for speech therapy for stuttering. If your child has been stuttering for more than 3 to 6 months, you should seek the help of an expert speech language pathologist for immediate treatment of stuttering.

Why does stammering attract bullies?

Bullying is an act that may come from ignorance, and/or fear. Children who stutter can become victims of bullying by their classmates, teachers and even siblings. Bullying can be verbal, physical or both.

It typically comes from a person seeking power or esteem out of berating someone who seems vulnerable or by attacking someone who seems different from the majority.

Stuttering can cause an individual to stand out in their class or group, which can attract bullying.

The person resorting to bullying can be coming from a disturbed home, may have personal trauma, may be seeking attention or may simply be jealous of the attention the child is getting. More often than not, if you or your loved one is being bullied, talking to the bully in presence of a higher authority helps.

You can read our guide on how to prevent bullying of a child who stutters. Teachers, too, can play an important role in preventing bullying at school.

What can I do when I am bullied for my stammering?

First, you must understand that people who are bullying you for having a speech disfluency are NOT your friends. Know that people who stutter are just as smart and intelligent as others.

Learn about people like King George VI, James Earl Jones, Charles Van Riper, Ed Sheeran, Bo Jackson, Emily Blunt and Nichole Kidman who have been widely popular, loved and successful despite their stuttering.

If you are a student, you can choose a science project or presentation to be on stuttering – the causes, psychological impact and treatment.

Educating your peers might actually help you and hundreds of others like you they might come across someday. If necessary, take help from your parents, teachers and speech therapists to create a stellar presentation on stuttering or stammering that will speak a thousand words to the entire grade.

If none of these work, it’s best to ignore knowing that you tried your best. Bullying and hurling insults shows the uglier sides of the bullies. Those words certainly don’t define you. Find out more about reining in the bullies here.

Blog：Best Stuttering Exercises to Help Your Child

by Team Stamurai April 30, 2020 

“Oh, you should just speak slowly,” “maybe it’s the anxiety getting to you”- children who stutter have heard these suggestions ad nauseam.

Do they help reduce their stutter? No. Does it make them become more conscious of their speech disfluency? Yes!

The truth is anxiety, fear, or shyness do not cause stammering. Children who stutter or stammer may do so more frequently when they have to talk in front of their classmates, new people or unfamiliar situations. However emotions do not precipitate stuttering.

Modern sciences have found multiple mutations on several chromosomes that correspond to stuttering. These mutations can be heritable, although the male population is more susceptible to stuttering than the female population. 60% of the people who stutter have a family history of stuttering.

So, is there anything you can do to help a child who stutters? Well, of course. You can, for instance, help your child practice stuttering exercises at home.

Why Is Stuttering Common Among Preschool-aged Children?

In the case of preschool-aged children who stutter (CWS), speech therapy, regular speech exercises and practice can reduce and may even eliminate stuttering. Stuttering is common in children between the ages of 2.5 years and 3 years, when they are acquiring their language skills at an incredible speed. Such stuttering is known as developmental stuttering, and it is common in children; it disappears on its own within a few months.

Many speech therapists recommend waiting and observing a child’s speech if s/he has been stuttering for significantly less than 6 months. If they have been stuttering for more than 6 to 12 months, parents of CWS should seek the help of a speech-language pathologist or speech therapist.

Who Is At A High Risk Of Stuttering?

Stuttering or stammering is quite common. According to experts, many children experience stuttering when learning a new language or expanding their vocabulary at a rapid pace. Children outgrow their stammering on their own in many cases, but it might become a lifelong condition for some. High risk factors include –

A family history of stuttering.

Incidence of stuttering for more than 12 months.

The child is male. Girls recover faster. A girl who has been stuttering for more than 12 months is at a higher risk of persistent stuttering.

A child who begins stuttering later (onset after 3.5 years of age) has higher chance of persistent stuttering.

Children on the autism spectrum have a high risk of developing stuttering at an early age. Other disorders and conditions that co-occur with stuttering include ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome (TS), hearing impairments, central auditory processing disorder, and cerebral palsy.

How Will You Know If Your Child Is Stuttering?

Developmental stuttering has a few signs that are hard to miss. These symptoms of stuttering include –

Difficulty in starting a word, sentence, or phrase

Repetition of a syllable, an entire word, or a particular sound

Breaking of words or undue pausing, and missing syllables

Prolongation of parts of words or entire words

Adding sounds like “um” or “uh” at the beginning of the next word

Along with these signs, you can also notice the following –

Twitching or trembling of the lips and/or jaw

Tightening of facial muscles

Clenching fists

Rapid and abrupt blinking

Jerking of the head

If a child experiences physical duress while trying to get the words out, it may signify a serious stammering problem. You may also notice their voice changing pitch and rising with each repetition.

These are the signs that you need to take proactive measures to help ease your child’s stuttering instead of waiting for it to ride itself out.

What Should You Do If You Notice Your Child Stuttering?

You should seek the help of a speech-language therapist. It might sound intimidating, but speech therapy for children can consist of quite a few simple stammering exercises at home moderated by their parents.

In many cases, the SLP takes an indirect approach and talks to the parents and other members of the family.. The stuttering treatment for kids aims at reducing the family’s concern and altering their family-child interactions.

What Are Some Exercises Parents Can Do With Children To Reduce Stuttering?

At Stamurai, we are always here, to help you understand speech therapy for stuttering and its implications. Here are some of the most common activities your SLP might ask you to do with your child –

1. Adopting a Slower Rate Of Speech With Pauses

A slower rate of speech has two purposes –

It serves as a model for your child. S/he can learn what a more fluent and smoother way of speaking sounds like.

It makes your child feel less rushed. They realize they can take more time to respond and be more fluent.

Here’s how we sound most of the time while holding a conversation with a fellow fluent adult – “hey, howryoutoday?”

While talking to your child, you might want to talk like this “Heey, How aare yoou today?”

You can also add more pauses to your speech to make it slower, but sound more natural. So, instead of your usual rushed speech, try to…taallk…more like…this. The…slight pauses…throughout your speech…will make you…sound more…relaxed…and calm.

You can also try to stretch the first word of every sentence “aaaaas you play or converse with your child.” Adding the extra stretch to the first word will show your child how to ease into a word and embrace fluency naturally in conversations.

2. Introducing Syllable-Timed Speech

Syllable-timed speech (STS) technique can reduce your child’s stuttering by almost 96% in around 12 months. However, it only works if you practice it with your child every day!

Here’s how you can include syllable-timed speech in your daily conversations with your child –

Speak. like. this. Each. per. iod. rep. re. sents. a. break. in. the. syll. a. bles. of. the. words. in. a. sent. ence.

Children under the age of 6-years can reduce their stuttering by 96% if they practice syllable timed speech for 10 minutes, 4-6 times per day for 12 months.

It might be difficult for you to syllable-time your speech in daily conversations. You can master it easily before you try it with your child by tapping your leg for each syllable.

3. Trying Reduced Demands

A child who stutters, finds it difficult to start a conversation spontaneously. All we need you to do is dial down the demands around speaking.

Research on child psychology shows that asking too many questions can make your child feel stressed or anxious, which can worsen his or her stuttering. So let them share their emotions, knowledge and experiences spontaneously.

Allow your child to take the lead on what they want to discuss, play or watch. Do not finish their sentences or guess what they’re trying to say. Give them the time to finish their own sentences.

Instead of asking them questions, make close-ended comments. For example, instead of asking “hey, what are you playing there?” you can say, “I see you are playing Minecraft.”

Learning comes naturally to children and there’s little reason to believe that not asking enough questions will set his or her learning process back.

4 Adopting New Verbal Responses

Verbal responses are like giving your child feedback on their speech. Since children’s brains have high plasticity (ability to learn new things), they can learn to speak fluently even when you don’t teach your child complex speech therapy techniques.

Here are the five verbal responses you can use while talking to your child –

When they are fluent –

Make sure to praise them. Say “that was great buddy”, “hey, no bumps” and “I’m loving your smooth speech man.”

You can ask them to evaluate their own speech like “do you think that was better than before”, “was that smooth.”

Acknowledge their smooth speech by saying “That was really smooth,” and “smooth again.”

When they are having a bad day or stuttering, you can –

Acknowledge their stutter by saying something like, “that got stuck there a little” or “that was a difficult word.”

You can ask for self-correction. “Can you say that again for me?”

However, not every child reacts positively to comments on their stutter or self-correction. If your child reacts negatively, simply drop it.

Stick to positive verbal responses only. Make sure you give them at least 5 positive responses for every 1 comment on their bumpy speech.

5 Increasing Listening Time

Children who stutter have trouble expressing themselves. Having a family member lend a listening ear can make a significant difference in the child's attitude towards his or her own speech. Be sure to dedicate some "listening time" each day for your child.

It can be after play school when they have a lot to share about their experiences, or right before the child heads out for their playtime. Quality listening time lets your child know that you “are there” for him or her although you should intentionally make sure not to make suggestions or give instructions, especially on their speech during this time!

Attentive playtime with the child can show significant improvement in a child’s speech. For example, mirroring a child’s expression during the playtime with vocal cues, like sounds of disappointment when the child’s face shows the same emotions can build confidence in the child, in the long run.

You should let your child lead you during the interactive playtime which should also be unstructured, spontaneous, and enjoyable for your child.

Comments

It helps me a lot. I bought a one-year membership and I'm on day four. I like practicing with the app. It's been my fourth day and I can already noticed improvement in my speech when I had to talk to strangers at work today . I'm surprised it was made in India! I thought it was an American app. Hello India! Chicago here ❤️

Although the app claims to tailor the exercises to your feared words and your level of stuttering, it does not. The majority of the practice words are words I do not have a problem with even after I have already set my feared sounds and words in the app. Also, there is no way to know if you are doing the exercises correctly. A demo with a video of a live person would have been helpful. Otherwise, the app provides good education and tackles the problem from all angles.

I tried the free trial for a week and ended up liking how the app works. This prompted me to buy the gold edition for $100 as it is the best deal for me to get. However, once I have bought it, I can’t access the materials. When I go to it, it gives me the transaction screen which tells me to buy the subscription for the app, even though I already have. When I click buy, it says that it has already been bought. Then the thing is gone and the normal screen appears. However, as soon as I click begin, that same transaction screen appears. And now, my money is gone and I can’t access the stuff that I had paid for.

I’ve used the app in the past and was able to access all the features until I had to factory reset my phone. Now when I try to access the features under my subscription, it’s giving an error stating “This credentials is associated with another user’s account”. I’m locked out of all features but my IPhone shows that the subscription is valid until April 2024.

I’ve been a subscriber since 2020 and loving the app but it’s been having some bugs in the app. When I go to the “view plans” or go to the therapeutic section to go to the purchasing options it freezes my app, unfortunately nobody has help fix my problem yet and I’ve been reaching out for over a month now and still nothing. I like the app but if I want to buy a 1on1 session it’s not possible at the moment because it keep freezing.