I enjoy this page. Perhaps, it helps children who stutter realize that they are not the only one who speaks differently. http://www.stutteringhelp.org/drawings-and-letters-kids
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
How parents can help a child who stutters
1. Ask the school-speech pathologist if you could participate
in some of his therapy sessions. This way, you can learn the skills he
is learning and find out the best ways to work with him in the home
environment.
2. Ask your son what he wants you and others to do when he is having trouble speaking. Let him know that you have time to listen. Create a time each day to have a 5-10 minute conversation. Always talk face-to-face. Practice having him "watch your face" when he talks, even if he is stuttering. Good eye contact displays confidence.
3. Learn more about stuttering. The Stuttering Foundation of America website (www.stutteringhelp.org) has general information about stuttering. Their DVD, Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers provides helpful information about stuttering. The Web site www.stutteringhomepage.com has an information section for parents. Support organizations such as Friends (www.friendswhostutter.org) and the National Stuttering Association (www.westutter.org) provide an opportunity to meet other parents of school-age children who stutter.
4. You can speak with the school therapist, who may offer assistance with your son's anxiety related to stuttering. Helpful clinical resources include the Cognitive Behavior Therapy DVD as well as David Luterman's DVD on counseling. You, as the parent, may also benefit from these DVD's. One helpful exercise is called the "Worry Ladder," which comes from a workbook addressing school-age children's attitudes and feelings about stuttering. You and your son can talk about what he "worries" about from the smallest worry to the biggest. Sometimes having a way to talk about anxieties can help reassure the child. If he has a particular concerns, such as anwering questions aloud in class, you can help him by practicing with relevant school material at home. He can also go to school a few minutes early and practice with the teacher by himself until he gets more comfortable talking in front of the entire class. The social worker or psychologist at your son's school may also provide support for the clinician working with your son. Anxiety related to stuttering can be very normal.
Editor's Note - You may want to share these resources by Dean E. Williams, Ph.D., with your child's school speech-language pathologist: Working With Children in the School Environment and Talking with Children Who Stutter.
Most importantly, let your son know what he says is always the most important thing. Best of luck!
by Kristin A. Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP of Northwestern University
copied from http://www.stutteringhelp.org/content/ask-experts
2. Ask your son what he wants you and others to do when he is having trouble speaking. Let him know that you have time to listen. Create a time each day to have a 5-10 minute conversation. Always talk face-to-face. Practice having him "watch your face" when he talks, even if he is stuttering. Good eye contact displays confidence.
3. Learn more about stuttering. The Stuttering Foundation of America website (www.stutteringhelp.org) has general information about stuttering. Their DVD, Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers provides helpful information about stuttering. The Web site www.stutteringhomepage.com has an information section for parents. Support organizations such as Friends (www.friendswhostutter.org) and the National Stuttering Association (www.westutter.org) provide an opportunity to meet other parents of school-age children who stutter.
4. You can speak with the school therapist, who may offer assistance with your son's anxiety related to stuttering. Helpful clinical resources include the Cognitive Behavior Therapy DVD as well as David Luterman's DVD on counseling. You, as the parent, may also benefit from these DVD's. One helpful exercise is called the "Worry Ladder," which comes from a workbook addressing school-age children's attitudes and feelings about stuttering. You and your son can talk about what he "worries" about from the smallest worry to the biggest. Sometimes having a way to talk about anxieties can help reassure the child. If he has a particular concerns, such as anwering questions aloud in class, you can help him by practicing with relevant school material at home. He can also go to school a few minutes early and practice with the teacher by himself until he gets more comfortable talking in front of the entire class. The social worker or psychologist at your son's school may also provide support for the clinician working with your son. Anxiety related to stuttering can be very normal.
Editor's Note - You may want to share these resources by Dean E. Williams, Ph.D., with your child's school speech-language pathologist: Working With Children in the School Environment and Talking with Children Who Stutter.
Most importantly, let your son know what he says is always the most important thing. Best of luck!
by Kristin A. Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP of Northwestern University
copied from http://www.stutteringhelp.org/content/ask-experts
"Sometimes I Just Stutter" book
This is a great book for children who stutter http://www.stutteringhelp.org/sometimes-i-just-stutter
Studying stuttering in young children
This is an interesting article about studies that are done at Purdue on stuttering in young children. http://www.stutteringhelp.org/childhood-stuttering
Vote for a camp for children who stutter
Please vote for Camp Shout Out, a camp for children who stutter, in this contest. Then ask others to vote, too. Clicking on the title of this post will take you to this link http://5x5night.com/ideas/detail/camp-shout-out-something-to-shout-about
Parenting a child who stutters
If you are the parent of a child who stutters, the following tips may help:
* Listen attentively to your child. Maintain natural eye contact when he or she speaks.
* Wait for your child to say the word he or she is trying to say. Don't jump in to complete the sentence or thought.
* Set aside time when you can talk to your child without distractions. Mealtimes can provide a good opportunity for conversation.
* Speak slowly, in an unhurried way. If you speak in this way, your child will often do the same, which can help decrease stuttering.
* Take turns talking. Encourage everyone in your family to be a good listener and to take turns talking.
* Strive for calm. Do your best to create a relaxed, calm atmosphere at home in which your child feels comfortable speaking freely.
* Don't focus on your child's stuttering. Try not to draw attention to the stuttering during daily interactions.
* Offer praise rather than criticism. It's better to praise your child for speaking clearly than to draw attention to stuttering. If you do correct your child's speech, do so in a gentle, positive way.
* Accept your child just as he or she is. Support and encouragement can make a big difference.
When it comes to stuttering, many parents are naturally inclined to direct, challenge or chastise their child. But in some cases these actions have the opposite effect because they can add to feelings of insecurity and self-consciousness and can lower self-esteem. Avoid the following:
* Asking your child lots of questions
* Interrupting your child when he or she is speaking
* Reacting in a negative way to stuttering
* Insisting your child repeat stuttered words or telling him or her to start over when stuttering
* Asking your child to speak in front of a group of people
* Telling your child to think before speaking
* Exposing your child to situations that create a sense of urgency, pressure or a need to rush
* Punishing your child for stuttering
Connecting with other people
It can also be helpful for children, parents and adults who stutter to connect with other people who stutter or who have children that stutter. Several organizations offer support groups. Along with providing encouragement, support group members may offer advice and coping tips you might not have considered. You can reach the Stuttering Foundation at 800-992-9392
from www.mayoclinic.com
* Listen attentively to your child. Maintain natural eye contact when he or she speaks.
* Wait for your child to say the word he or she is trying to say. Don't jump in to complete the sentence or thought.
* Set aside time when you can talk to your child without distractions. Mealtimes can provide a good opportunity for conversation.
* Speak slowly, in an unhurried way. If you speak in this way, your child will often do the same, which can help decrease stuttering.
* Take turns talking. Encourage everyone in your family to be a good listener and to take turns talking.
* Strive for calm. Do your best to create a relaxed, calm atmosphere at home in which your child feels comfortable speaking freely.
* Don't focus on your child's stuttering. Try not to draw attention to the stuttering during daily interactions.
* Offer praise rather than criticism. It's better to praise your child for speaking clearly than to draw attention to stuttering. If you do correct your child's speech, do so in a gentle, positive way.
* Accept your child just as he or she is. Support and encouragement can make a big difference.
When it comes to stuttering, many parents are naturally inclined to direct, challenge or chastise their child. But in some cases these actions have the opposite effect because they can add to feelings of insecurity and self-consciousness and can lower self-esteem. Avoid the following:
* Asking your child lots of questions
* Interrupting your child when he or she is speaking
* Reacting in a negative way to stuttering
* Insisting your child repeat stuttered words or telling him or her to start over when stuttering
* Asking your child to speak in front of a group of people
* Telling your child to think before speaking
* Exposing your child to situations that create a sense of urgency, pressure or a need to rush
* Punishing your child for stuttering
Connecting with other people
It can also be helpful for children, parents and adults who stutter to connect with other people who stutter or who have children that stutter. Several organizations offer support groups. Along with providing encouragement, support group members may offer advice and coping tips you might not have considered. You can reach the Stuttering Foundation at 800-992-9392
from www.mayoclinic.com
Children that stutter
This is a good book for the child 7-12 years old who stutters - Sometimes I Just Stutter - http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Portals/english/sometimes_stutter.pdf
Camp Shout Out for stuttering
"Camp Shout Out which is non-profit,traditional overnight camp setting for youth around the world who stutter ages 8-16 where they will participate in speech therapy and camp activities. Camp Shout Out is also a clinical training opportunity for SLP's and selected
graduate students who will improve their skills working with youth who stutter.
The best part is that the clinical training and treatment portion of the camp is
being developed by and will be directed by: Kristin Chmela and June Campbell,
two VERY well known fluency specialists and trainers of clinicians. If you want
to know more we have a facebook page: Camp Shout Out for youth who stutter
and our webpage will be up very shortly: campshoutout.org
We are also working in collaboration with Western Michigan University and the
Stuttering Foundation."
I found this on a stuttering group site.
graduate students who will improve their skills working with youth who stutter.
The best part is that the clinical training and treatment portion of the camp is
being developed by and will be directed by: Kristin Chmela and June Campbell,
two VERY well known fluency specialists and trainers of clinicians. If you want
to know more we have a facebook page: Camp Shout Out for youth who stutter
and our webpage will be up very shortly: campshoutout.org
We are also working in collaboration with Western Michigan University and the
Stuttering Foundation."
I found this on a stuttering group site.
Young child suddenly stuttering
I thought this note might help other parents:
My daughter is 3. One day she spoke fine. The next day, she started to stutter. My husband, his brother, and his father stutter. So as soon as I heard her start, I contacted the doctor and the insurance company. Our doctor suggested we find a speech therapist at www.stutteringhelp.org as they are trained to work with stuttering and some therapists know very little about working with someone who stutters.
My daughter met with the speech therapist who took out a picture book and told her to tell her what was in each picture. She made notes of all the letters that our daughter got stuck on. The results were submitted to the insurance company. Therapy was approved for 5 sessions on a weekly basis with a possible 20 more. We scheduled the first 5.
On the first session, the therapist had a playmat with toys telling our daughter to talk about the toys. When our daughter got stuck, the therapist would help her slow down and drag out the letters that she was stuck on.
It went well. Can't wait for the next session.
My daughter is 3. One day she spoke fine. The next day, she started to stutter. My husband, his brother, and his father stutter. So as soon as I heard her start, I contacted the doctor and the insurance company. Our doctor suggested we find a speech therapist at www.stutteringhelp.org as they are trained to work with stuttering and some therapists know very little about working with someone who stutters.
My daughter met with the speech therapist who took out a picture book and told her to tell her what was in each picture. She made notes of all the letters that our daughter got stuck on. The results were submitted to the insurance company. Therapy was approved for 5 sessions on a weekly basis with a possible 20 more. We scheduled the first 5.
On the first session, the therapist had a playmat with toys telling our daughter to talk about the toys. When our daughter got stuck, the therapist would help her slow down and drag out the letters that she was stuck on.
It went well. Can't wait for the next session.
New book for children who stutter
I would love to see this book! The description sounds like something children who stutter need. http://secure.stutteringhelp.org/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SFA&Product_Code=0035&Category_Code=B
Talking with a child who stutters
I just read this on a blog:
"Parents and older siblings may have the habit of speaking very quickly, causing a child with emerging speech skills to be intimidated. Slowing down slightly, and even introducing natural pauses such as short hesitations or “ums” will make it easier for young children to participate in the conversation."
I agree with all of that except the "ums" as no child should get in the habit of starting anything in their speech that they won't want there later in life. Any child deserves help so that they can speak well enough to be enjoyed in friendly conversation, while giving a speech, or if addressing an extinguished group of individuals as an adult. Frequent pauses, but no "ums" in my opinion, and I expect the Stuttering Foundation of America, who gives great tips for talking with someone who stutters, would agree.
"Parents and older siblings may have the habit of speaking very quickly, causing a child with emerging speech skills to be intimidated. Slowing down slightly, and even introducing natural pauses such as short hesitations or “ums” will make it easier for young children to participate in the conversation."
I agree with all of that except the "ums" as no child should get in the habit of starting anything in their speech that they won't want there later in life. Any child deserves help so that they can speak well enough to be enjoyed in friendly conversation, while giving a speech, or if addressing an extinguished group of individuals as an adult. Frequent pauses, but no "ums" in my opinion, and I expect the Stuttering Foundation of America, who gives great tips for talking with someone who stutters, would agree.
Class Presentation on Stuttering
I have read of students doing a class presentation in order to teach their classmates and their teacher what stuttering is like and how it affects them. This page http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=121 has tips for doing such a presentation plus a suggested outline to follow. There is a link at the bottom that takes you to a kit made specially for this purpose with enough brochures about stuttering for an entire class. There are also brochures on this page http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=131 that you can download. I would recommend the "Tips for Teachers" and "Tips for Speaking with Someone who Stutters" brochures. Teaching teachers and classmates about stuttering and how to help is a good place to start changing the way all stutterers are treated.
Purdue Stuttering Project research on children who stutter
This is a very interesting article. Note that they ask for anyone in the Lafayette, Indiana area who has a child who stutters to contact them.
"I am pleased to have this opportunity to update you on the progress over the past year from the Purdue Stuttering Project. You may recall from our earlier articles that we are engaged in a longitudinal study of young children who stutter and their normally fluent controls.
With funding from the NIH's National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, we have been recruiting 4 and 5-year-olds, and we will be following them yearly for a period of 5 years. In fact, we have just received notice from the NIH that our project will be funded for an additional five years.
After the five years of testing, the children will be 9 or 10 years old, and approximately half of them will have recovered from stuttering, while half will persist. In each yearly visit to our laboratories, the children participate in an extensive set of experiments, including those that test basic motor timing ability, tests of the brain’s activity in processing language, and studies of speech production in which we record muscle activity and motion of the articulators.
The goal of the project is to determine if the results of these tests will help us to predict which 4 and 5-year-old children who are stuttering are likely to persist.
One of the speech production tasks that our kids do involves producing what we call “novel nonwords.” These are words like “mab” which sound OK in English, but which are meaningless. We designed a set of four nonwords of increasing difficulty, so that “mab” is the easiest one, and “mabshaytiedoib” is the most difficult.
When we tested adults who stutter, we found that they could produce the words correctly after hearing them, but they showed more variability in their oral movements, suggesting that hearing, encoding, planning, and producing a novel speech sequence was a much more difficult task for them compared to normally fluent adults.
Is this lower ability to encode and produce new sound sequences present at the onset of stuttering? Or is it something that develops after many years of disfluency? Our experiment is designed to answer this question.
So far in the “mab” nonword experiment, we have analyzed data from 22, all 4 and 5-year-old children who stutter (CWS) and 14 children who are normally developing (CND). Interestingly, we found that all of the children could produce the simplest nonword, "mab" correctly. However, on the more difficult items, such as “mabshibe,” only about 25% of the CWS could accurately produce them, while about 88% of the CND could produce all four nonwords correctly.
Clearly in terms of these behavioral results, the children who are stuttering do not do as well when asked to produce novel speech sequences.
During the nonword experiment, we record the motions of the lips and jaw. We are able to look at oral coordination during production of the novel nonwords. We analyzed data for the nonword, "mab" since all the children could produce it. Given how simple and short this nonword is, we did not expect that CWS would be less able to generate a motor program and produce it. Surprisingly though, CWS were significantly more variable compared to CND in their coordinative patterns over 10 productions of “mab.”
Thus, we can see that already, in the earliest years of stuttering, even when the child's production is accurate and no disfluency is perceived, the underlying patterns of speech movement are different. Are the children who perform most poorly on this nonword repetition task the ones most likely to persist in stuttering? We will be able to answer that question in the later years of our project.
We are truly excited about the potential for this work to have major implications for treating young children who stutter.
If you know of someone who has a child who stutters and lives in our area (Lafayette, Indiana), please ask them to contact us at brownb@purdue.edu."
By Anne Smith, Ph.D.Purdue University
From the Stuttering Foundation of America's 2008 Summer newsletter
"I am pleased to have this opportunity to update you on the progress over the past year from the Purdue Stuttering Project. You may recall from our earlier articles that we are engaged in a longitudinal study of young children who stutter and their normally fluent controls.
With funding from the NIH's National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, we have been recruiting 4 and 5-year-olds, and we will be following them yearly for a period of 5 years. In fact, we have just received notice from the NIH that our project will be funded for an additional five years.
After the five years of testing, the children will be 9 or 10 years old, and approximately half of them will have recovered from stuttering, while half will persist. In each yearly visit to our laboratories, the children participate in an extensive set of experiments, including those that test basic motor timing ability, tests of the brain’s activity in processing language, and studies of speech production in which we record muscle activity and motion of the articulators.
The goal of the project is to determine if the results of these tests will help us to predict which 4 and 5-year-old children who are stuttering are likely to persist.
One of the speech production tasks that our kids do involves producing what we call “novel nonwords.” These are words like “mab” which sound OK in English, but which are meaningless. We designed a set of four nonwords of increasing difficulty, so that “mab” is the easiest one, and “mabshaytiedoib” is the most difficult.
When we tested adults who stutter, we found that they could produce the words correctly after hearing them, but they showed more variability in their oral movements, suggesting that hearing, encoding, planning, and producing a novel speech sequence was a much more difficult task for them compared to normally fluent adults.
Is this lower ability to encode and produce new sound sequences present at the onset of stuttering? Or is it something that develops after many years of disfluency? Our experiment is designed to answer this question.
So far in the “mab” nonword experiment, we have analyzed data from 22, all 4 and 5-year-old children who stutter (CWS) and 14 children who are normally developing (CND). Interestingly, we found that all of the children could produce the simplest nonword, "mab" correctly. However, on the more difficult items, such as “mabshibe,” only about 25% of the CWS could accurately produce them, while about 88% of the CND could produce all four nonwords correctly.
Clearly in terms of these behavioral results, the children who are stuttering do not do as well when asked to produce novel speech sequences.
During the nonword experiment, we record the motions of the lips and jaw. We are able to look at oral coordination during production of the novel nonwords. We analyzed data for the nonword, "mab" since all the children could produce it. Given how simple and short this nonword is, we did not expect that CWS would be less able to generate a motor program and produce it. Surprisingly though, CWS were significantly more variable compared to CND in their coordinative patterns over 10 productions of “mab.”
Thus, we can see that already, in the earliest years of stuttering, even when the child's production is accurate and no disfluency is perceived, the underlying patterns of speech movement are different. Are the children who perform most poorly on this nonword repetition task the ones most likely to persist in stuttering? We will be able to answer that question in the later years of our project.
We are truly excited about the potential for this work to have major implications for treating young children who stutter.
If you know of someone who has a child who stutters and lives in our area (Lafayette, Indiana), please ask them to contact us at brownb@purdue.edu."
By Anne Smith, Ph.D.Purdue University
From the Stuttering Foundation of America's 2008 Summer newsletter
Stuttering in school
Many students who stutter, no matter what age, do not participate in class and dread speaking assignments because they are "afraid of stuttering." Some students have found that they do better if the teacher allows them to do a presentation about stuttering. That helps the rest of the class understand what a stutterer goes through. Teachers can help with these tips from the Stuttering Foundation of America:
"8 tips for teachers
1. Don’t tell the child “slow down” or “ just relax.”
2. Don’t complete words for the child or talk for him or her.
3. Help all members of the class learn to take turns talking and listening. All children — and especially those who stutter — find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listener’s attention.
4. Expect the same quality and quantity of work from the student who stutters as the one who doesn’t.
5. Speak with the student in an unhurried way, pausing frequently.
6. Convey that you are listening to the content of the message, not how it is said.
7. Have a one-on-one conversation with the student who stutters about needed accommodations in the classroom. Respect the student’s needs, but do not be enabling.
8. Don’t make stuttering something to be ashamed of. Talk about stuttering just like any other matter.
Compiled by Lisa Scott, Ph.D., The Florida State University"
"8 tips for teachers
1. Don’t tell the child “slow down” or “ just relax.”
2. Don’t complete words for the child or talk for him or her.
3. Help all members of the class learn to take turns talking and listening. All children — and especially those who stutter — find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listener’s attention.
4. Expect the same quality and quantity of work from the student who stutters as the one who doesn’t.
5. Speak with the student in an unhurried way, pausing frequently.
6. Convey that you are listening to the content of the message, not how it is said.
7. Have a one-on-one conversation with the student who stutters about needed accommodations in the classroom. Respect the student’s needs, but do not be enabling.
8. Don’t make stuttering something to be ashamed of. Talk about stuttering just like any other matter.
Compiled by Lisa Scott, Ph.D., The Florida State University"
A page just for kids who stutter
Children have a hard enough time as they go through life, but for a child who stutters it is harder. Most children who stutter don't know anybody else who stutters and feel that they are the only ones with the delimma of wanting to be able to talk like everyone else. This page on the Stuttering Foundation of America's web site http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=25 is just for those children who want to see that there are others going through the same thing they are. The Foundation prints letters and pictures in both their newsletter and puts them on this page. Children are encouraged to express their feelings about stuttering and draw pictures that represent stuttering.
Study on anxiety and stuttering
For those parents whose children start stuttering, they are encouraged to seek help through The Stuttering Foundation of America so they know how best to handle the situation. The earlier you can help a child who stutters, the better. A recent study shows that anxiety is not a cause of stuttering.
Bianca Phaal, a masters student in the Department of Communication Disorders, has just completed a study looking at the anxiety levels of a group of three and four-year-olds who were at the onset of stuttering and compared this with a control group of non-stuttering children.
She examined anxiety by collecting saliva samples from each child and measured the steroid levels of a substance called "cortisol". Cortisol is a hormone released during periods of heightened anxiety, and can be measured in saliva by chewing on a dental roll. She also conducted communication apprehension tests with the children and surveyed their parents, asking them to rate their children’s anxiety levels in different situations.
Working with biochemist Dr John Lewis, Bianca found no higher anxiety levels in children who stutter compared to non-stuttering children.
“There were no significant differences between the children who stutter and those who don’t according to either of the measures of anxiety or the communication apprehension measure, neither was there any relationship between stuttering severity and anxiety or communication apprehension,” Bianca said.
“Results of this study suggested that generalised anxiety and communication apprehension are not associated with early childhood stuttering, therefore it is unlikely anxiety is the root cause of stuttering.
“However, should early childhood stuttering persist, negative experiences in speaking situations could lead to the development of communication apprehension and perhaps generalised anxiety. Early intervention for stuttering may thus be crucial in preventing this development.”
Bianca Phaal, a masters student in the Department of Communication Disorders, has just completed a study looking at the anxiety levels of a group of three and four-year-olds who were at the onset of stuttering and compared this with a control group of non-stuttering children.
She examined anxiety by collecting saliva samples from each child and measured the steroid levels of a substance called "cortisol". Cortisol is a hormone released during periods of heightened anxiety, and can be measured in saliva by chewing on a dental roll. She also conducted communication apprehension tests with the children and surveyed their parents, asking them to rate their children’s anxiety levels in different situations.
Working with biochemist Dr John Lewis, Bianca found no higher anxiety levels in children who stutter compared to non-stuttering children.
“There were no significant differences between the children who stutter and those who don’t according to either of the measures of anxiety or the communication apprehension measure, neither was there any relationship between stuttering severity and anxiety or communication apprehension,” Bianca said.
“Results of this study suggested that generalised anxiety and communication apprehension are not associated with early childhood stuttering, therefore it is unlikely anxiety is the root cause of stuttering.
“However, should early childhood stuttering persist, negative experiences in speaking situations could lead to the development of communication apprehension and perhaps generalised anxiety. Early intervention for stuttering may thus be crucial in preventing this development.”
Helping a child who stutters
These suggestions are from The Stuttering Foundation of America and can be used to help a toddler who has just started to stutter or an older child. Following these guidelines can help a child so he/she has less of a problem with stuttering. Showing frustration, exasperation, or disgust with his speach will only serve to make him fear speaking and will make the stuttering worse.
7 Ways to Help the Child Who Stutters
compiled by Barry Guitar, Ph.D. and Edward G. Conture, Ph.D.
1. Speak with your child in an unhurried way, pausing frequently. Wait a few seconds after your child finishes speaking before you begin to speak. Your own slow, relaxed speech will be far more effective than any criticism or advice such as "slow down" or "try it again slowly."
2. Reduce the number of questions you ask your child. Children speak more freely if they are expressing their own ideas rather than answering an adult's questions. Instead of asking questions, simply comment on what your child has said, thereby letting him know you heard him.
3. Use your facial expressions and other body language to convey to your child that you are listening to the content of her message and not to how she's talking.
4. Set aside a few minutes at a regular time each day when you can give your undivided attention to your child. During this time, let the child choose what he would like to do. Let him direct you in activities and decide himself whether to talk or not. When you talk during this special time, use slow, calm, and relaxed speech, with plenty of pauses. This quiet, calm time can be a confidence-builder for younger children, letting them know that a parent enjoys their company. As the child gets older, it can be a time when the child feels comfortable talking about his feelings and experiences with a parent.
5. Help all members of the family learn to take turns talking and listening. Children, especially those who stutter, find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listeners' attention.
6. Observe the way you interact with your child. Try to increase those times that give your child the message that you are listening to her and she has plenty of time to talk. Try to decrease criticisms, rapid speech patterns, interruptions, and questions.
7. Above all, convey that you accept your child as he is. The most powerful force will be your support of him, whether he stutters or not.
7 Ways to Help the Child Who Stutters
compiled by Barry Guitar, Ph.D. and Edward G. Conture, Ph.D.
1. Speak with your child in an unhurried way, pausing frequently. Wait a few seconds after your child finishes speaking before you begin to speak. Your own slow, relaxed speech will be far more effective than any criticism or advice such as "slow down" or "try it again slowly."
2. Reduce the number of questions you ask your child. Children speak more freely if they are expressing their own ideas rather than answering an adult's questions. Instead of asking questions, simply comment on what your child has said, thereby letting him know you heard him.
3. Use your facial expressions and other body language to convey to your child that you are listening to the content of her message and not to how she's talking.
4. Set aside a few minutes at a regular time each day when you can give your undivided attention to your child. During this time, let the child choose what he would like to do. Let him direct you in activities and decide himself whether to talk or not. When you talk during this special time, use slow, calm, and relaxed speech, with plenty of pauses. This quiet, calm time can be a confidence-builder for younger children, letting them know that a parent enjoys their company. As the child gets older, it can be a time when the child feels comfortable talking about his feelings and experiences with a parent.
5. Help all members of the family learn to take turns talking and listening. Children, especially those who stutter, find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listeners' attention.
6. Observe the way you interact with your child. Try to increase those times that give your child the message that you are listening to her and she has plenty of time to talk. Try to decrease criticisms, rapid speech patterns, interruptions, and questions.
7. Above all, convey that you accept your child as he is. The most powerful force will be your support of him, whether he stutters or not.
Speech Therapy for young children
This letter was in the Chicago Daily Herald and points out the need for speech therapy provisions especially for young children. It should have also included the web site for the Stuttering Foundation of America where a list of speech therapists who are trained to work with stuttering can be found http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=109.
"Your article "Most children will eventually outgrow stuttering" was very informative and I am sure it will help the parents of children who are struggling with stuttering.
One percent of the adult population stutters, while about 4 percent of children experience some form of stuttering . Seventy-five percent of these children do outgrow the problem.
While the treatment of childhood stuttering has spawned many different and opposing theories, one constant is that speech therapists agree early intervention with a child through speech therapy is a must.
My wife and I have been very pleased with the Stuttering Foundation of America as it has a national listing of speech therapists that specialize in stuttering.
Also, we have found this organization's resources most helpful as they offer many books and DVDs for children, parents and teachers.
It would be nice if speech therapy in general was given more attention. Every presidential election cycle there is talk of "health care reform," but none of the health care initiatives floated in Washington over the last 15 years have made any provisions for speech therapy.
More attention has to be given to speech therapy for all kinds of speech disorders, especially those of children.
Carlo J. Peluso
Arlington Heights"
"Your article "Most children will eventually outgrow stuttering" was very informative and I am sure it will help the parents of children who are struggling with stuttering.
One percent of the adult population stutters, while about 4 percent of children experience some form of stuttering . Seventy-five percent of these children do outgrow the problem.
While the treatment of childhood stuttering has spawned many different and opposing theories, one constant is that speech therapists agree early intervention with a child through speech therapy is a must.
My wife and I have been very pleased with the Stuttering Foundation of America as it has a national listing of speech therapists that specialize in stuttering.
Also, we have found this organization's resources most helpful as they offer many books and DVDs for children, parents and teachers.
It would be nice if speech therapy in general was given more attention. Every presidential election cycle there is talk of "health care reform," but none of the health care initiatives floated in Washington over the last 15 years have made any provisions for speech therapy.
More attention has to be given to speech therapy for all kinds of speech disorders, especially those of children.
Carlo J. Peluso
Arlington Heights"
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