42 | FEBRUARY 27 • 2020 Health continued from page 41 when I started high school. “I learned along the way I cannot shy away from speak- ing in front of people, and I have to embrace that I am a person born with a stutter and I cannot control that, but I can control how hard I work to overcome it. ” STATISTICS AND HELP Approximately 3 million Americans stutter, accord- ing to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). While stuttering occurs most often in children between ages 2 and 6, it can affect people of all ages. Boys have a higher inci- dence of stuttering than girls, a disparity that increases with age. Seventy-five percent of children outgrow their stutter- ing, while the other 25 percent continue to stutter in varying degrees through- out their lifetimes. Stuttering often runs in families, and researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found there may be a genetic component. “If a child’ s stuttering per- sists longer than six months, or if they’ re older when the stuttering begins, you may need to seek intervention, ” advised Albiona Rakipi, a speech and language pathol- ogist and clinical supervisor at the Kaufman Children’ s Center in West Bloomfield. In addition to seeking pro- fessional help, Rakipi suggests parents create an environ- ment that makes it easier for children to speak. This could include reducing a parent’ s rate of speech so a child does not feel rushed when producing a response. She also recom- mends support groups and says support and treatment for those who stutter and their families are important for optimal outcomes. Bressler credits his par- ents, Elisa Weinbaum Geisz of Berkley, Michigan, and Jay Bressler of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for helping him gain the confidence he needed to accomplish goals. “We treated him normally. I think the sports helped … he loved playing basketball, ” Jay Bressler said. He advises parents of children who stutter to “find something they’ re pas- sionate about and use that to help them build confidence. ” He also stressed the impor- tance of listening patiently to children, which can be diffi- cult when they are struggling to speak. His son agrees. “Other people would try to finish my sentences, but my mom and teachers would wait, even if it took 30 minutes to get out what I wanted to get out, ” Dylan said. “It’ s hard for the person listening, I know, but it’ s better for the other person. ” Above all, he has learned that stuttering does not define who he is or diminish his accomplishments. “There will be good days and bad days, but don’ t let it affect you as a person. If it affects other people, then that’ s their issue. ” Stuttering Resources • National Stuttering Association • Stuttering Foundation of America • American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders Albiona Rakipi CATARACT AND EYE CONSULTANTS OF MICHIGAN 23133 Orchard Lake Road, Ste. 200 Farmington, MI 48336 Phone: (248) 478-8990 AND 29753 Hoover Road Warren, MI 48093 Phone: (586) 573-4333 www.eyeconsultantsofmich.com By Esther Allweiss Ingber Amanda Salter, MD, a comprehensive ophthalmologist specializing in cataract surgery, will mark her second anniversary with Cataract and Eye Consultants of Michigan on April 1. It’s also the date that she will begin seeing patients at the brand new Farmington practice location. A native of Farmington Hills, Dr. Salter, 36, “will take a leading role” in the new office. Joining her at both locations will be Dr. Sarah Muenk-Gold and Dr. Alan Parent. The three physicians are board-certified ophthalmologists and fellows of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Salter, daughter of Adrea Benkoff, MD, is a second-generation ophthalmologist at Cataract and Eye Consultants. “I began seeing my mother’s patients after she retired in March 2018,” Dr. Salter said. Dr. Benkoff spent nearly 30 years with the practice. Dr. Salter’s medically-oriented family also includes her husband, Matthew Salter, DO, an anesthesiologist; father, David Benkoff, MD, a gastroenterologist; sister, Reesa Benkoff, JD, who practices healthcare law, representing physicians; and father-in-law, Michael Salter, DPM, a podiatrist. Growing up, Dr. Salter and her Benkoff family belonged to Adat Shalom Syna- gogue. She and her husband are Temple Beth El members now, along with daugh- ters Liora, 5, and Daphne, 3. Dr. Salter graduated from North Farmington High School and continued her studies at the University of Michigan. She earned her medical degree at New York Uni- versity and did her ophthalmology residency training in the Ivy League at Brown University in Rhode Island. She practiced in Massachusetts before returning home to continue her practice in the Detroit area. The doctors on staff at Cataract and Eye Consultants are “excellent surgeons and clinicians,” said Dr. Salter. “We all do everything within the field of ophthalmology but also have our areas of expertise.” The focus of Dr. Salter’s practice is cataract surgery, glaucoma, dry-eye syndrome and facial rejuvenation, primarily for aesthetic reasons, through the use of Botox and dermal fillers. “We strive to stay up to date with technological advances in ophthalmology, so we can offer the newest advancements to our patients,” said Dr. Salter. She’s excited about being able to offer her dry-eye patients a new eyelid treatment in the near future, to be administered in the office. For cataract surgery, an out-patient procedure, the ophthalmologists are utilizing state-of-the-art technology with more precise accuracy. Astigmatism is managed with- out requiring needles or stitches. Regarding facial rejuvenation, “when people age 30 to 50 begin receiving treatments, they may reduce the likelihood of getting deeper wrinkles when they’re older,” said Dr. Salter. The Farmington office of Cataract and Eye Con- sultants is already taking appointments. “My passion is treating disease in and around the eye, and I work hard to care for my patients,” she said. DR. AMANDA SALTERS