STUTTER IS LIKE, AND WHAT
THEYRE MOST HOPEFUL ABOUT.
>> Reporter: FOR SEVENTH GRADER
JOLIE DICHMAN, STUTTERING IS A
DAILY REALITY.
>> WHEN I TALK TO MY FRIENDS IN
SCHOOL, THEY KNOW I STUTTER.
THEY REALLY ARE PATIENT WITH ME.
>> Reporter: FOR OLIVER BEREZ,
STARTING HIGH SCHOOL LAST FALL
MEANT INTRODUCING HIS REALITY TO
HUNDREDS OF NEW CLASSMATES.
>> I FOUND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
REALLY CHALLENGING, AND IT WAS
PRETTY HARD BECAUSE THE KIDS,
THEY DIDNT REALLY UNDERSTAND.
I JUST FEEL THAT SCHOOL FOR ME
NOW, I FEEL IVE GOTTEN A LOT
BETTER BECAUSE IM A LOT MORE
CONFIDENT.
>> Reporter: THEYRE JUST TWO OF
THE MORE THAN 3 MILLION
AMERICANS WHO STUTTER, A
SPEAKING DISORDER THAT CAN TAKE
SEVERAL FORMS AND IS VERY OFTEN
MISUNDERSTOOD.
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHAT STUTTERING IS?
>> MOST PEOPLE JUST THINK
THAT -- NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW
HOW IT FEELS TO STUTTER.
>> Reporter: ITS SOMETHING
YOURE BORN WITH, RIGHT?
ITS NOT BAUSZECAUSE YOURE NERV
>> ITS SOMETHING YOU CANT
CONTROL.
>> THE PERSON WHO STUTTERS KNOWS
EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.
THEY WILL JUST SAY IT
DIFFERENTLY.
IT DOESNT MEAN THEYRE NOT
PREPARED FOR CLASS OR NOT
PREPARED FOR THE JOB INTERVIEW.
ITS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF
SPEAKING.
>> Reporter: STUTTERING DREW NEW
ATTENTION WHEN JOE BIDEN WAS
CAMPAIGNING FOR PRESIDENT.
HES BEEN OPEN ABOUT HIS
LIFELONG STUTTER AND RELEASED A
CAMPAIGN VIDEO WITH A TEENAGE
SUPPORTER WHO SHARED THE
CONDITION.
>> WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE
ROOTING FOR YOU, AND WERE HERE
FOR YOU.
>> Reporter: HE LATER INVITED
HARRINGTON TO SPEAK AT THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
>> IM A REGULAR KID.
IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, JOE
BIDEN MADE ME MORE CONFIDENT
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT BOTHERED ME
MY WHOLE LIFE.
>> Reporter: FOR PEOPLE WHO
STUTTER, THE PRESIDENTS STORY
BROUGHT WELCOME VISIBILITY.
>> ONCE I FOUND OUT THAT SO MANY
OTHER PEOPLE STUTTERED,
INCLUDING JOE BIDEN, IT JUST
MADE ME FEEL LIKE COMFORTED, IN
A WAY.
LIKE, IM NOT ALONE.
>> Reporter: ADVOCATES HOPE THE
PRESIDENTS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
WILL LEAD TO POLICY CHANGES IN
SCHOOLS AND THE WORKPLACE.
>> DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INFLUGSIN
INCLUSION ALSO INCLUDES
INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO
STUTTERS.
>> Reporter: SHORT SAYS READING
PROFICIENCY TESTS FOR KIDS
SHOULDNT REQUIRE ORAL
RESPONSES.
SHES PUSHING FOR EXPANDED
COVERAGE UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE
PLANS.
>> BIG INSURANCE CARRIERS SEE
STUTTERING AS SOMETHING THAT HAS
AN END, AN EXPIRATION DATE.
THEY MAY GIVE YOU TEN SESSIONS,
THATS IT.
STUTTERING DOESNT HAVE A CURE.
JUST BECAUSE YOU DO TEN SESSIONS
IN FIRST GRADE DOESNT MEAN THAT
YOU DONT NEED TEN MORE.
>> Reporter: WHAT OLIVER AND
JOLIE WANT MOST IS
UNDERSTANDING.
>> ONE OF MY BIGGEST PET PEEVES
IS WHEN PEOPLE FINISH MY SENTENCES.
BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL LESS
THEN
THEN.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO
SAY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HELP ME,
BUT ITS NOT REALLY HELPING ME.
ITS KIND OF MAKING IT WORSE.
>> Reporter: ITS PROBABLY
ANNOYING.
>> YEAH, ITS REALLY
AGGRAVATING.
>> THE MORE ACCURATELY WE CAN
REPRESENT WHAT STUTTERING IS AND
ISNT IN PUBLIC, I THINK IT WILL
MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE TO ACTUALLY STUTTER
IN PUBLIC.
THEY CAN FEEL FREE TO BE
THEMSELVES.
>> AS CHRISTINE SHORT SAID,
THERE IS NO CURE FOR STUTTERING,
BUT OF THE CHILDREN WHO IT
AFFECTS, ABOUT FOUR IN FIVE DO
GROW OUT OF IT.
ADVOCATES THINK BETTER ACCESS TO
SPEECH THERAPY AND GETTING
INSURANCE COVERAGE CAN IMPROVE
THE ODDS EVEN MORE, GUYS.
>> WOW.
YOU KNOW, COUPLE YEARS AGO, DELL
DEVELOPED QUITE THE STUTTER.
SO MUCH SO, WE TOOK HIM TO A
SPEECH THERAPIST.
AFTER SIX, SEVEN SESSIONS, HE
DID OUTGROW IT.
BEFORE THAT, I DID NOT KNOW HOW
PREVALENT AND COMMON IT WAS,
ESPECIALLY IN KIDS.
>> WE HAVE TO WORK ON THAT WITH
NICK, WE DONT FINISH HIS
SENTENCES.
HES GOTTEN BETTER.
>> THAT WAS A GOOD INSIGHT.