BRITISH COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE
WHO STUTTER

Speaking out for people who stutter

Who Are We?

The British Columbia Association of People Who Stutter (BCAPS) is a registered non-profit, voluntary association. We are committed to increasing public awareness of stuttering and those who stutter and to support stutterers and self-help support groups throughout the province.
         BCAPS is directed by an elected six member board who function on a volunteer basis. Their positions include: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Fund Raising Chair and Publicity Chair.

What Do We Do?

• we encourage and assist support groups in British Columbia for people who stutter

• we advocate for improved accessibility and availability of stuttering treatment programs for B.C. residents

• we work to increase the awareness of stuttering as an issue affecting members of society

• we acquire and disseminate information on stuttering and stuttering treatment to people who stutter, their families and others

• we advocate on behalf of people who stutter

• we provide limited financial assistance to those with a demonstrated need to obtain stuttering therapy (see funding application).

What is Stuttering?

Stuttering is a complex disorder manifested by the interruption of the natural flow of speech by hesitations, repetitions, prolongation of sounds, avoidances of difficult words, struggles to speak, and blockages sufficient to cause the speaker anxiety. In many individuals it is associated with secondary behaviours such as facial grimacing. Stuttering behaviour can lead to a severe breakdown in verbal communication, and can be a major disability in an individual's development.

What Causes Stuttering?

At this point in time it is not known what causes stuttering. Researchers are examining a number of theories that relate to the neuropsychological, neuropsychological, biochemical and learned aspects of stuttering. Many researchers believe that people who stutter have a genetic predisposition to do so. It is important to consider, though, that stuttering is no one's fault, and that it is not a nervous or personality disorder.

Who Stutters?

In general, about one per cent of adults stutter and about five per cent of children stutter. Typically the ratio of male to female stutterers is about four to one.

Is There a Cure for Stuttering?

There is no cure for stuttering but there is hope and there can be fluency improvement. Speech Therapy programs offered by specialized speech/language pathologists, have proven to be the best treatment for long-term stuttering behaviour.
         If you are a parent of a child who stutters you should contact your family doctor or a speech language pathologist (many school districts have speech/language pathologists on staff, for their students). If you have any concerns about your child's speech, have an assessment done by a qualified speech language pathologist who has experience with children who stutter.

We need your support! Donations are Welcome!

If you are not a member and would like to receive our newsletter, take an active roll in our association and/or make a donation, please join BCAPS. A yearly membership is just $10. For any donation that is more than the membership fee an income tax receipt will be mailed to you.

You can contact BCAPS at our toll free telephone number (1-888-301-2227), by E-mail maustinson@shaw.ca or by calling any representative listed on our contacts page. We have available a list of speech/language pathologists in BC who treat people who stutter, and we will try to provide you with any other helpful information you may need.

Join BCAPS Today! Renew Your Membership!