Irish Stammering Association is curating a week of online events to celebrate International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD, 22nd October). Starting on Thursday 15th October, its online talks and support groups will feature a range of speakers giving information, supports and useful ideas on how people can reduce the negative impact that stammering can have.

Around 5% of children will stammer; a condition characterised by sound repetitions, prolongations and blocks in its early stages. Stammering will resolve in some children but around 1% of adults continue to stammer. Stammering can lead to avoidance of speaking situations, embarrassment, frustration and people not fulfilling their potential; whatever their age.

As part of ISAD week, our annual National Stammering Awareness Day moves online for the first time. This year will be a condensed version featuring talks from David Heney (ISA Chair), Georgina Dunlevy (ISA Employment Support), Callum Wells (Speech and Language Therapist), Martina Ross (Irish McGuire Programme) as well as Michael O’Shea (“Why I called my sister Harry” author) who cofounded the first awareness day in 2007.

The theme for ISAD 2020 is ‘Journey of Words; resilience and bouncing back’. Guest speakers will reflect on what has been a challenging year for many people who stammer. Our events include:

• Thursday 15th - Accessing Higher Education – James McCormack (NUIG), Lorraine Gallagher (AHEAD), Bevin Murphy (Third level student) - 10 a.m.
• Friday 16th – Specialisterne an employer’s perspective - Noreen Murphy - 12 noon
• Saturday 17th – National Stammering Awareness Day – online 10 a.m. – 11.30 a.m.
• Sunday 18th - Walk and Talk in Phoenix Park – 12 noon
• Monday 19th – Parents’ Support group with speech and language therapist – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday 20th – Online support group for adults and AGM – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday 21st – Teenagers’ support group with speech and language therapists - 7 p.m.
• Thursday 22nd – Closing event - “It’s how we talk” 1 p.m.

Irish Stammering Association Chairman David Heney says “Creating a week of online events around International Stuttering Awareness Day provides an opportunity for the ISA to showcase the range of supports that we offer to children, teenagers and adults who stammer, as well as friends, family and employers. These supports can be life changing and we believe that stammering does not have to hold you back.”

All events are free to attend and all are welcome… people who stammer, family members, friends, and professionals who work with stammering. For more details see www.stammeringireland.ie