Speech is the prominent way of communication among humans. It needs proper training from childhood to listen understand and speak. Speaking skills are modified through many adaptive changes by generations. It needs a gradual & steady development of structures associated with speech from the foetus. F After birth, in childhood the language is grasped from the surrounding people as a part of growing up. Both physical and emotional factors play a role in the proper functioning of organs of speech. Any abnormality in any of these can lead to various kinds of speech disorders.
Stammering- also called stuttering or childhood-onset fluency disorder — is a speech disorder that involves frequent and significant problems with normal fluency and flow of speech. People who stutter know what they want to say, but have difficulty saying it.
Signs and symptoms
- Difficulty starting a word, phrase or sentence
- Prolonging a word or sounds within a word
- Repetition of a sound, syllable or word
- Brief silence for certain syllables or words, or pauses within a word (broken word)
- Addition of extra words such as “um” if difficulty moving to the next word is anticipated
- Excess tension, tightness, or movement of the face or upper body to produce a word
- Anxiety about talking
- Limited ability to effectively communicate
Causes
Physical (structural defects or any other diseases) or emotional (anxiety, fear or stress) causes can lead to stammering which is developed by abnormalities in speech motor control.
Genetical factors also play a role in some cases of stammering.
Pathophysiology
There are abnormal auditory feedback systems in persons who stutter. hyperactivity of dopaminergic systems in the central nervous system is also noted.
Diagnosis
Examination by a speech-language pathologist (SLP).
Treatments
Controlling monitoring speech rate
Breathing control
Stuttering modification therapy
Electronic fluency devices
Prognosis
Children and adults who stutter may benefit from treatments such as speech therapy, using electronic devices to improve speech fluency or cognitive behavioural therapy.
Complications
- Problems communicating with others
- Being anxious about speaking
- Not speaking or avoiding situations that require speaking
- Loss of social, school, or work participation and success
- Being bullied or teased
- Low self-esteem
Disease & Ayurveda
Speech disorders are described under a group of disoreders named mooka-minmina-gadgada. In these, stammering comes under gadgada.
Nidana
Causative factors for the vitiation of Kapha & vaata by mother (if the patient is child) or the patient himself
Purvaaroopa
Not mentioned
Samprapti
Due to the causative factors, the vitiated Kapha gets aavarana of Vaata and affects the sabdavahi dhamani and produces the disease.
Lakshana
Luptapadavyanjanaadi – missing syllables or consonants
Avyaktavak – indistinct pronunciation or lack of fluency in speech
Aspashta vachana – unclear speech
Swalpa-asambandha vak – less or meaningless words
Gharghara sabda – hoarseness of voice
Divisions
Not mentioned
Prognosis
Yaapya in doshaja
Asadhya in sahaja
Chikithsa
Ayurvedic treatment is found very beneficial in stammering especially in children. It is based upon clearing the aavarana of Kapha from the sabdavaahi dhamanis and normalising the functioning of Vaata.
Samana
Lepanam with Rookshana dravyas
Jihwanirlekhanam
Swedanam
Aamapaachanam
Agnideepanam
Sodhana
Nasyam
Dhoomapanam
Kabalam
Gandoosham
In severe & needed cases, vamanam, virechanam, snehavasti and kashayavasti are done.
Commonly used medicines
Dhanwantharam Kashayam
Dasamoolam Kashayam
Ashtavargam Kashayam
Dasamoolakadutrayam kashayam
Saraswatharishtam
Saraswatam ghritam
Vacharudrakshadi choornam
Saraswatha Churna
Brands available
AVS Kottakal
AVP Coimbatore
SNA oushadhasala
Vaidyaratnam oushadhasala
Home remedies
Practising speech therapy
Diet
- To be avoided
Heavy meals and difficult to digest foods – cause indigestion.
Junk foods- cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine
Carbonated drinks – makes the stomach more acidic and disturbed digestion
Refrigerated and frozen foods – causes weak and sluggish digestion by weakening Agni (digestive fire)
Milk – increase kapha, cause obstruction in channels and obesity
Curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, honey, ghee, butter etc after normalising Agni
Freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Protect yourself from cold climate.
Better to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight wind rain or dust.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid holding or forcing the urges like urine, faeces, cough, sneeze etc.
Avoid sedentary lifestyle. Be active.
Yoga
Regular stretching and mild cardio exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including naadisuddhi pranayama, bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana is recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Yoga for stammering
Pavanamuktasana
Nadisudhi pranayama
Bhujangasana
Simple exercises for lungs and heart health
All the exercises and physical exertions must be decided and done under the supervision of a medical expert only.
Research articles
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4907555/
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, United States. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your GP before the intake.
Writer:
Dr. Rajesh Nair, the co-founder and chief consultant of Ayurvedaforall.Com, is a graduate of prestigious Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College (affiliated with the University of Calicut), Kerala, India. Additionally, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University.
Dr. Nair offers consultation at two busy clinics in and around Haripad, Alleppey, Kerala, the southern state famous worldwide for authentic ayurvedic treatment and physicians. While offering consultation on all aspects of ayurvedic treatments Dr. Nair has a special interest in Panchkarma, Yoga, and Massage.
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