By David Hogan, Leeds Herald Publisher
On December 30, 2009 the Toby Banks Benefit Foundation board members and Deborah B. Boswell, M.S. CCC/SLP, Founder and President of Professional Speech Services of Alabama, P.C., participated in the evaluation of Hannah Rish for a SpeechEasy treatment device to assist in the problem of stuttering.
Boswell had previously been working with Hannah on speech fluency and Hannah’s progression in therapy brought her to the stage of evaluation for a SpeechEasy device to further improve her speech fluency.
Hannah was engaged during the evaluation by Boswell in normal conversation, and while Hannah was understandable, it was evident she had a stuttering problem. At times, those that stutter will hit a “block” on certain words and especially vowel sounds, and their facial expressions clearly show the struggle taking place within. Boswell showed her professional patience during the process, always encouraging Hannah, and reminding her never to apologize for her stuttering.
Deborah Boswell (L) evaluates Hannah Rish (R) for the SpeechEasy device. In the photo above, Hannah has hit a "block" in her speech, like many do with stuttering problems and her facial expression shows it.
While the stuttering was easily seen, so was the very vivid and descriptive manner in which Hannah spoke, delighting all in attendance. There was no doubt by anyone that Hannah was an extremely bright and talented young high school girl, who enjoyed numerous activities. There is often a very wrong stereotype, which those with stuttering problems have intelligence problems and this is simply not true.
With that stereotype put to rest, stuttering does have an emotional impact on those with the problem, knowing that others view them differently and often lack the patience to allow them to finish speaking. Improving speech fluency has positive effects for both the person with the stuttering problem and those they interact with. Confidence in the individual increases and patience in those listening does as well.
Hannah was also asked to read prepared text first without the device, and then Boswell fitted Hannah with the SpeechEasy and calibrated the device for Hannah while going through the same conversation and reading as before. The change in Hannah’s speech and facial expression as the struggle within diminished was astonishing.
After calibration and evaluation Boswell asked Hannah and her parents to go out to the mall and eat lunch to try out the device in the real world. There are two evaluations going on here; one from Boswell to see if the device is working and helps, and another by Hannah and her family to see if they benefit from their own perspectives. More on the end results later in the story.
So, what is this SpeechEasy device and how does it help? Did the device do anything for Hannah when she went to the mall, or was it too much of a change in how things sounded to endure? How does one pay for a device that cost over $4,000? How is Leeds own Toby Banks involved in all this?
Part II of the story is here.
