Overview
- Coverage on Thursday, October 22, 2026, centered on events such as Stotterkamp in Groningen where adults who stutter spoke with children to practice speaking and boost confidence.
- Reporters reiterated that about 5 percent of children under six stutter and that this falls to roughly 1 percent later in life, with genetics and brain control of speech identified as major causes.
- Several people who stutter and speech therapists criticized breathing-based approaches like Del Ferro for leaving some clients feeling blamed when they continue to stutter after treatment.
- Peer networks including Demosthenes, WhatsApp groups and organized weekends were shown to give members practical strategies, shared coping techniques and relief from isolation.
- Personal accounts and a new book by Maarten van der Weijden illustrate a shift from shame to acceptance, a change that could push public understanding and therapy messaging toward support and inclusion.