Children who stutter have historically been met with impatience, derision or disregard when they can’t quickly express their thoughts and emotions. That’s the case for Maggie, the protagonist of author C.C. Harrington’s book WILDOAK, which urges us to listen to and support those with communication challenges. Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Heather Clark joins us to share her clinical expertise as a speech language pathologist.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Christina Harrington graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English Literature and has since worked for a national newspaper, studied printmaking and taught literacy to children with learning differences. She now lives in Maryland with her family and a dog who loves to eat manuscripts. WILDOAK is her first book.
• Heather M. Clark, Ph.D., is a speech-language pathologist serving children and adults with communication, cognitive, and/or swallowing difficulties. In addition to her clinical activities, Dr. Clark is active in research and education, providing mentorship to residents and fellows.

Purchase “WILDOAK.”

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Amazon.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 

We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.

Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.