s a case of simple stuttering. Permit the child to
go without attention for some time and the trouble will have progressed
into the Advanced Phase, usually without the knowledge of the child or
his parents or without any especially noticeable surface change in his
condition.

Stuttering in its first phase--Simple Stuttering--can justly be called
a physical and not a mental trouble. In this stage, the disorder should
be easily eradicated. The duration of cases of Simple Stuttering is
very slight, for the reason that Simple Stuttering soon passes into the
Advanced Phase, which is of a physical-mental nature, exhibiting the
symptoms of a mental disturbance as well as of a physical difficulty.

From the Advanced Phase stuttering then passes into the Mental Phase,
where the mental strain is found to be greatly intensified and the
disorder a distinct mental type instead of a physical or
physical-mental trouble.

When stuttering in this stage is permitted to continue its hold upon
the sufferer, the continued strain, worry and fear bring about a
condition of extraordinary malignancy, in which the trouble develops
into the Chronic Mental Stage. This is a condition bordering upon
mental breakdown and even though the complete breakdown never occurs,
the one afflicted finds himself a chronic stutterer, without surcease
from his trouble. He further finds that he has increasing difficulty in
thinking of the things which he wishes to say. He seems to know, but
his mind refuses to frame the thought. In other words, he is unable to
recall the mental image of the word in mind, and is therefore unable to
speak the word. This is a condition known as Aphasia or Thought Lapse
and represents a most serious stage of the difficulty, in many cases
totally beyond the possibility of relief--a condition in which no
stutterer should allow himself to get.

Stammering, being a kindred condition to stuttering, progresses from
bad to worse in a manner very similar. The progress of stammering may
be classified into successive stages as follows:

1--Elementary Stage
2--Spasmodic Stage
3--Primary Mental Stage
4--Chronic Mental Stage
5--Compound Stage

Stammering in the Elementary Stage, like Stuttering, is a Physical
Trouble. The Stammerer has often been known to remain in the Elementary
Stage only a few days or a few weeks, passing almost immediately into
either the Spasmodic or the Primary Mental Stage. Not all stammerers
pa