CHICAGO | School-age children and teens, along with their parents, can attend a youth-day workshop promoting self-esteem and treatment for children who stutter. The program will include education and support for parents and take place Oct. 20 in the Andrew Conference Center at St. Xavier University, 3700 W. 103rd St.

There will also be an Oct. 19 program specifically for speech-language pathologists, special education teachers and speech pathology students, titled "Assessing and Treating Stuttering in an Evidence-based Practice World," in St. Xavier University's Butler Reception Room. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Speaking at both events will be Bob Quesal, a certified clinical speech-language pathologist and board-recognized fluency specialist and a professor at Western Illinois University, where he teaches classes in stuttering, speech science, anatomy, research design, and voice disorders.

Quesal's research has addressed assessment of multiple outcomes of stuttering treatment and especially outcomes from the perspective of the person who stutters.

Other speakers at Saturday's workshop include Lee Reeves, member of the board of directors of the National Stuttering Association; Connie Dugan, a certified clinical speech-language pathologist and board-recognized specialist in fluency disorders; Karen Czarnik, a certified clinical speech-language pathologist and professor at St. Xavier; Nina Reardon-Reeves, a certified clinical speech-language pathologist and board-recognized specialist in fluency disorders; Paul Bittorf, adult chapter leader of the National Stuttering Association; and James Zerlentes, a certified clinical speech-language pathologist. Saturday's workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Registration for Friday's event is $105 for speech-language pathologists who register before Oct. 12, or $115 for speech-language pathologists who register after Oct. 12. Cost for students and National Stuttering Association members is $40 before Oct. 12, or $50 after Oct. 12.

Registration for Saturday's NSA Youth Day is $35. For more information, contact Karen Czarnik at czarnik@sxu.edu or NSA at info@WeStutter.org.

- THE TIMES