Stuttering Teen Sings Without Hesitation

June 21, 2013 — For CHOP patient Calvin Okulicz, the one thing that makes him feel like any other kid is singing. When he speaks he has trouble getting out his words, but there is no hint of a stutter when he sings. His mom says she cried the first time she heard him sing, because it was the first time she really heard his voice — and it was amazing!

Of stuttering and singing, Calvin says, “In one way I was cursed, while in another I have a gift.”

Speech-language pathologist Joseph Donaher, PhD, director of CHOP’s Stuttering Program, says in most cases, singing won't help with speech but it will help with confidence.

"When he feels better about himself, because he knows how skilled he is as a singer, that's going to carry over," Donaher said.

Watch Calvin’s inspiring story and hear his beautiful singing voice in this 6ABC Action News segment.