What Can Parents Do To Help A Child That Stutters

Stuttering is something that happens to a child is between the ages of 2 and 5. It may disappear as the child grows older but it doesn’t mean you should not take any action. To help you, here are a few things that you can do together.

1. Whenever you speak, make sure to say it slowly and with frequent pauses. Studies show that this is more effective than criticizing your child because it is not their fault that they have this problem.

2. If you know what your child wants to ask, never cut them off and just give them time to finish what they have to say. Remember to listen to what he or she is saying, not how it is expressed.

3. You should also reduce the number of questions you ask your child. By giving them more time to speak freely, you enable the child to express their own ideas. Of course, you have to acknowledge what they said so they know you heard them by using facial expressions or other body language. If the child is right in front of you, always maintain eye contact.

4. Letting your child speak should be done at a regular time daily. One good example is when you are eating. This is because everyone is present at the table. There shouldn’t be any disruptions while you are together so you should turn off the television or the radio.

5. If you are not doing anything during the day, set a certain time in the morning or the afternoon. Give them the opportunity to do whatever they want and you should join in. This is considered as a confidence builder especially among children since they know they can talk about anything with the parent.

6. You are not the only one who should take the brunt when your child stutters. Your spouse needs to help out. If you have other kids, they should do the same because those who stutter will find it easier to talk with people around.

7. Should you correct a child for mispronouncing a word? Not all the time. The important thing is that hey enjoy talking because corrections although well intentioned have a way of making the child very self-conscious of the way they speak.

These are the things you can do as a parent and as a family if one member stutters. But a parent can only do so much if the problem is getting out of hand. For that, you will need to see a specialist who is trained in various techniques to help treat the disorder. This person is known as a speech language pathologist.

Before treatment is done, the pathologist will have to do ask you some questions. There will be one on one interaction between the specialist and the child. You will also have to keep a journal as to how often the stuttering occurs. There is no cure or one treatment that works so this is done through trial and error.

When you look for speech language pathologist, make sure that he or she is a licensed professional certified by the state and by ASHA or American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. You can also get a referral from the Stuttering Foundation of America, a nearby university, hospital or clinic.