Please don't ever tell someone seeking help they have a permanent disability. Many people have overcome this so-called "permanent disability." Some of us tried and failed several times before finding fluency. I work with children that have various physical disabilities. We teach them to do for themselves. The disabilities differ in severity, but I always set the expectations that they try to do more than they are normally allowed to do. Some of the children have parents who treat them as though the child can't do anything for themselves. It's impressive to see the new heights they can reach when they are allowed to struggle and improve. I have had a parent very angry with me when I placed myself in between them and their child. The kids are willing to keep making the attempt, given the opportunity. Some parents never allow the child the opportunity. The same parents come back and thank me in the future, once they see their child gain more independence. I think people with stutters are sometimes like the parent *and* the child. We don't want to experience the pain of the struggle. We're resigned to the fact that it's a "permanent disability." i.e. The parent is too close to the problem. Just as the stutterer is sometimes too close to the problem. But there are people out there that can help the stutterer find their fluency. We just need to allow someone else to help. To work with the stutter. Allow them to develop strategies for fluency.