Just say, "What?"

Imagine standing in front of your entire class to present one of your final projects of graduate school and not having the energy to talk. This happened to me and it was NOT a good feeling. I don't know what happened that day but I was having trouble getting enough air to talk clearly. I think my nerves combined with the lack of sleep and my speech impairment were not a good combination. 

My speech impairment is something that I am extremely sensitive about and I am sometimes ashamed of. I think I feel this way because often times society associates speech impairments with intellectual disabilities. Would you assume that someone in a wheelchair has an intellectual disability? Probably not! Then, why do we assume that people with speech impairments have intellectual disabilities? Is it because the mouth is closer to the brain? I don't know the answer to these questions but I will tell you that the jaw, tongue and all of the other components associated with speech are muscles just like our legs. I have felt my jaw get sore after talking too much just like my legs get sore after walking a long distance. 

I bring this topic up because I have a lot to tell and share with the world but I think one of the reasons why I have struggled to obtain a job is because I have a speech impairment. I have seen a principal's eyes widen when I start spilling out my special education knowledge in an interview. I can't read their mind but I was glad to show them how much knowledge I have on a topic that I am extremely passionate about. 

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone doesn't understand what I am saying they will often look to someone else to repeat what I said. It is an extremely awkward moment and I wish they would just ask me to repeat myself. 

I recently started a group speech therapy and I actually enjoy it because I know I am in a judgment free zone and we work on things together that we all struggle with. While most of the people in the group are older than me, it is nice knowing that other people are having the same struggles with their speech that I am having. 

I know it may be awkward, but tomorrow when you can't understand what someone is saying, instead of pretending like you understand or looking for an interpreter please ask  the person to repeat themselves. Everyone wants their voice to be heard and to be understood. 

By Sydney Breslow 

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