There are a limited number of electronic devices on the market which are intended to help people who stammer produce more fluent speech. Electronic devices use a technology called Altered Auditory Feedback (AAF) to relay your voice back to you as you speak. They are either single-component devices which fit into or around the ear, like hearing aids, or multi-component devices consisting of a box about the size of a mobile phone, which is carried in the pocket, linked to an earset and sometimes a separate microphone. AAF telephone systems are also available, and there is software which can be used in conjunction with a hand-held computer or with a mobile phone.
AAF devices take advantage of the 'choral effect' - a phenomenon well-known to many people who stammer, who find that they can produce fluent speech when they talk in unison with other people. The device relays your voice back to you either with a slight delay (Delayed Auditory Feedback or DAF) or with a slight alteration in pitch (Frequency-shifted Auditory Feedback or FAF), or may use both of these techniques. The alterations appear to trick the brain into thinking that you are speaking alongside another person.
To date there has not been any long-term, large-scale research which might help identify the effectiveness of electronic devices for different people in different situations. The limited studies that have been carried out suggest a mixed picture, but it would be reasonable to think that about 60 per cent of people who stammer could find an electronic device helpful, these tending to be those whose stammering is more severe. There are unanswered questions about how long the benefits of a device might last. A device can be used in conjunction with speech therapy - for example, to help you to practice techniques which previously were too difficult.
These devices are expensive - normally over £1,000 for a multi-component device including FAF as well as DAF (though one without FAF is available for under £200) and £3,000 or more for a single-component device. Telephone systems and software are cheaper but may not be as convenient for some people. NHS funding for such devices is not generally available, although one supplier is making its device available to some NHS speech and language therapy departments so that patients can have the opportunity to try it. Some people have been successful in obtaining funding for electronic aids via the Access to Work Scheme; you need to be working or wanting to start work, and you or your employer may also need to pay part of the cost. The Scheme provides grants for the purchase of equipment, as well as for other purposes, to people with disabilities, to enable them to secure or retain employment. Further details can be obtained from the JobCentre Plus (www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk). Alternatively, if you are in work and you feel that a device would make a big difference to the way you do your job, it may be worth asking your employers if they could provide financial support for you to buy a device.
BSA strongly recommends that, before purchasing an electronic aid, you seek an assessment from an independent speech and language therapist, to see if the device is likely to be suitable for you.
Source: The British Stammering Association (BSA)