by Naresh Kumar

From the day I know myself, I know my-self as a stammerer. My parents told me that up till 5 years of age, I used to speak correctly but then I got an acute typhoid, and after recovery I got stammering.In my child-hood my teacher used to praise me and ask me to do sums on the blackboard, but I used to stammer. Again in my 6th Class when I went to Middle School from Primary School, I again got typhoid, thereafter my tammering became much more acute.

Up till the age of 41 years I remained isolated in the society (in my educational/, professional/service and in my social life) avoiding the situation was always remained the most comfortable option for me. By the grace of God, in between, I got a Govt. job, got married and have a son and a daughter.

In 1995, I tried some homeopathic medicines but they worked till the treatment was on, the moment I left it, the stammering came back. When I got Internet facility in my Section (office), I searched for treatment Centres for stammering problems. I am one of the most fortunate person who got the right Speech Therapist in the first instance. This I realized when I seen a number of cases at the Centre, who came from reputed hospitals like AIIMS, APPOLO etc. but all waste of time, energy and money (according to them). On September 19, 2002 I joined Adlakha Speech and Hearing Clinic. Before that I got an appointment for consultation in August, 2002 and from the very first look I realized that I came to the right place (Pehali Nazar Mein Fida). Since then I am attending/enjoying my speech therapy classes regularly, doing my exercises sincerely. This has resulted in a remarkable change in my speech, my confidence level and now I am not leading my life but enjoying it. I led 41 years of my precious life in fear, in frustration. Now the occasional blocks do come, but they don’t disturb my peace of mind. Here I realized that I am not the only person who has this problem but there are lots like me. Here I have seen a lot of successful cases, to name a few : Rajneesh Babbar, Inder Pal Singh, Rohit Harjani, Amritpal Singh (who himself has taken speech therapy as a profession) [they are not only the successful cases who came out from the stammering phobia but are landmark for good speakers too].I am one the fortunate person, among more than 1500 approx., who got speech therapy from Dr. Sajiv and Seem Adlakha. I have not seen God, but I think, if God has to perform some of his important tasks, he works through persons like Dr. Sajiv and Seema Adlakha. I wonder, in this selfish age, there are persons (like Dr. Sajiv and Seema Adlakha) who values their Principles instead of money/opportunity.

The thing which impressed me the most is that here we become life time member of the Swar Sudhar Society - the self-help group and become entitled to attend any number of Group Therapies without paying any additional amount. The Group Therapy, which normally held at the Centre on every Saturday, is the best platform not only to share our feelings but gives an opportunity to become a confident orator. The Yahoo group is also one of the best platforms to share our problems and feeling, not necessarily relating to our speech, but our day-to-day problems, and we get solutions from the members (and expert advice from Dr. Sajiv and Seema), because we understand each other better than any one else. Some people asks me why I started so late, I think it never too late to start with.

I wish Adlakha Speech and Hearing Centre all the Success!!