Confident: Ann Basic and her son Steven after the therapy. The 12-year-old youngster suffers from a severe stammer
Autumn term is always a mix of trepidation and excitement as children head back to school after the long summer holidays, but Steven Babic used to dread that first day more than most.
The 12-year-old youngster suffers from a severe stammer that became worse as each new academic year approached - and Steven knew he would be the butt of endless jokes in the playground and the classroom.
'They'd treat me as if I was contagious or as if I was thick, and it used to make me so angry and upset,' he admits.
The 12-year-old youngster suffers from a severe stammer that became worse as each new academic year approached - and Steven knew he would be the butt of endless jokes in the playground and the classroom.
'They'd treat me as if I was contagious or as if I was thick, and it used to make me so angry and upset,' he admits.
His parents, Ann and Milan, felt useless, having no idea how to help their son other than offer soothing words of comfort as he broke down in tears.
But this month, Steven, who lives in Wapping, East London, walked through the gates of the London Nautical School, Waterloo, with his head held high.
For the first time since he was ten, he sounded confident and fluent with no hint of the speech problem that has dogged his life.
'I've wanted to be a pilot for Virgin for as long as I can remember but thought I'd have no chance - who wants a stammering pilot? But now I actually believe I can achieve my dream,' he says.
Steven and his parents are among 200 people referred annually to the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children in Finsbury, North London, which provides specialist therapy to deal with both the speech difficulties and the confidence issues facing youngsters who stammer.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1317172/School-stammers-How-specialist-lessons-helped-young-boy-beat-stutter--classroom-bullies.html
But this month, Steven, who lives in Wapping, East London, walked through the gates of the London Nautical School, Waterloo, with his head held high.
For the first time since he was ten, he sounded confident and fluent with no hint of the speech problem that has dogged his life.
'I've wanted to be a pilot for Virgin for as long as I can remember but thought I'd have no chance - who wants a stammering pilot? But now I actually believe I can achieve my dream,' he says.
Steven and his parents are among 200 people referred annually to the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children in Finsbury, North London, which provides specialist therapy to deal with both the speech difficulties and the confidence issues facing youngsters who stammer.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1317172/School-stammers-How-specialist-lessons-helped-young-boy-beat-stutter--classroom-bullies.html
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