Stuttering often comes with the stigma that it is a condition to be corrected, but not at Camp TALKS (Talking and Learning with Kids who Stutter).
“At our camp, we believe that stuttering is OK, period,” said Daniel Shaw, MS, CCC-SLP, director of Camp TALKS. “We believe that stuttering is simply another way of talking.
“Our camp is geared toward building confidence and empowering those who attend. We want to help children and teens who stutter become more confident communicators as they grow.”
Camp TALKS, a weeklong day camp held at Vanderbilt University from June 1-5, is geared toward children and teens ages 8-16 and run by the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. The deadline to sign up is May 30.
Since the camp began in 2011, nearly 400 campers have attended.
“Communication, at its roots, is about the joy of connection,” said Shaw, a speech-language pathologist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. “Meeting someone who stutters can be life-changing for a child. Attending camp allows children who stutter to see how normal stuttering is.
“Camp is not about fixing but fostering acceptance, which is a journey.”
Interested in attending? Click here for more information.
