Three million people stutter in this country. The SpeechEasy™ is the newest advancement in treatment for this problem, and is the smallest and most effective device created this far. It’s so small that it can fit easily into your ear canal. It uses a microprocessor that has the power of a computer, and is digitally programmable with special software. This software includes a wide range of settings for Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) and Frequency Altered Feedback (FAF). Dr. Stigora, a Stuttering Specialist at the Baxter Speech and Fluency Center in Chadds Ford, Penn., is trained in determining and programming various combinations of DAF/FAF into ones devices until maximum fluency is achieved. In June of 2001, after ten years of research by the Stuttering Research Group of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Carolina University of Greenville, North Carolina, the SpeechEasy™ was released. The Janus Development Group, Inc. was formed to develop, manufacture, and market the SpeechEasy™. The devices are based on the connection between stuttering and the neurological coordination of speech. The SpeechEasy™ has shown, so far, an 80 to 90 percent success rate in the treatment of over 200 patients who suffer from fluency disorders, with levels of improvement varying from 50 percent up to 95 percent. Stuttering is caused by a problem with Altered Auditory Feedback (AAF), or the ability to hear one’s own voice in a manner that is slightly different from the way one normally hears it. AAF allows the SpeechEasy™ user to listen to his or her own voice with DAF, FAF, or a combination of both. People who stutter become fluent when they speak the same material in synch with another speaker. This is known as “Choral Speech,” and the SpeechEasy™ is an emulation of this. When the user hears his or her own voice with a pitch shift, a slight time delay, or both together, the SpeechEasy™ creates the illusion of another person speaking at the same time. The most remarkable and noticeable aspect of the SpeechEasy™ is the reduction or elimination of stuttering in a short period of time. Once the individual’s settings are determined and programmed, there can be dramatic improvement in as little as 20 minutes. Also, the device can improve confidence, and cosmetic appeal. There are three different modes to choose from, Behind The Ear (BTE), In The Canal (ITC), and Completely In Canal (CIC). The device one chooses depends on how noticeable they want it to be, and the different variations of the three. The SpeechEasy™ itself is a prosthetic device that looks much like a hearing aid. It is made to accommodate a variety of ear types. In the CIC the volume control is pre-programmed into the device. The ITC and BTE both have external volume controls, and are better suited for children and adults with small ears. It is recommended that the devices be worn in only one ear, since the effects produced by one are significant enough. SpeechEasy™ is not a cure for stuttering. It can be compared to wearing glasses, in that it corrects the impairment while being used. It may be viewed as an alternative to stuttering therapy, or it can be used in conjunction with therapy. Overall the SpeechEasy™ has become extremely popular since its release. Along with being cosmetically pleasing, it is affordable as well. The device costs $4,000 to have it fitted and programmed. What’s great though is that it doesn’t have to be replaced after a certain period of time, just re-programmed as ones fluency improves. Right now the Janus Development Group is looking into the possibility of insurance coverage for the SpeechEasy™. Other details are left up to the individual patients and their personal preferences. For more information about the SpeechEasy™ device and how to get one, go to www.speecheasy.com for details
Plymouth State University
Thursday, June 26, 2025