Funding boost for NHS-backed speech stammer app

Heather Brigden-McLean has been supporting her daughter, Jasmine, with her stammer

The family of a seven-year-old girl with a stammer have said an NHS-backed speech support app will be a "real game-changer".

Heather Brigden-McLean "panicked" when her daughter, Jasmine, started stammering during the pandemic and described support at the time as "very limited".

The family used an initial test of the SuperPenguin app, which aims to build confidence in children with speech issues and connect those impacted with help and support.

Researchers at Leeds Beckett University are part of a team working to refine the technology, with the project gaining £1.5m of funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Around 8% of children have a stammer, with at least 1% continuing to stammer as an adult, according to the national STAMMA charity.

SuperPenguin is currently recommended by the NHS as part of the support speech and language therapists provide to affected families, the university said.

Ms Brigden-McLean, from Crawley, West Sussex, said Jasmine was three when her stammering began.

"First it was repeating words, then repeating the starter words," she said.

"There were certain words or situations where she just couldn't get the words out at all - she was trying to communicate but people couldn't understand her."

She continued: "She was very tired because she was fighting all day to get her words out, and by the end of the day she would give up talking."

Jasmine, from West Sussex, started to stammer at the age of three

Jasmine's family referred her to a local speech and language unit, but were told waiting times could be up to two years.

After being introduced to the app through a charity, she described the support so far as "brilliant".

• A guide to helping your child with a stammer

"The information and guidance mirrors the same therapy you would be getting from a speech and language therapist," she said.

"It really teaches and empowers you as a parent and gives you the skills to help your child - it can make such a huge difference."

SuperPenguin, which is backed by the NHS, is an app that aims to build confidence in children who stammer

Following the funding boost, researchers at Leeds Beckett University will develop the app and web platform over three years.

Ben Bolton-Grant, speech and language therapy course director at the university, said it gave families "something to be doing" while waiting for external help.

"There is some very useful support out there, however it can be difficult to access, particularly in some parts of the country," he said.

As well as testing the app with NHS organisations in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Berkshire, the team will also be testing the app with the Brigden-McLean family and others.

Ms Brigden-McLean added: "Having seen how hard it was for Jasmine and for us as a family, we want to try and help.

“I believe SuperPenguin is going to be a real game-changer."

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