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WHEN YOUR CHILD STUTTERS
WHEN YOUR CHILD STUTTERS
Learn what to do when your child stutters, including talking strategies, building confidence, and planning special time.
The above Speech Learning Video was developed by the Speech Team at ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development to support families throughout their speech journey. KidsInclusive is linking these videos with permission from ErinoakKids.
CREATING A FLUENCY ENHANCING ENVIRONMENT AT HOME
CREATING A FLUENCY ENHANCING ENVIRONMENT AT HOME
HELPING YOUR CHILD SPEAK MORE FLUENT
Be Patient: Give your child lots of time to talk - listen calmly and patiently. We want them to know we are listening to what they have to say, without rushing them.
Avoid instructions like "slow down", "start again", and "take a breath".
Go Slow: While it is NOT helpful to TELL children to slow down, we CAN model slow and relaxed speech ourselves. By modeling a relaxed pace, children feel less rushed to speak.
Talk at a slow to normal speed, as if someone were trying to write down everything you were saying.
Pause Before Talking: Model a short pause before answering your child's question, or between your own thoughts when speaking.
Modeling pauses ... with your child ... during your own speech ... can help them feel less hurried ... and understand that it is OK ... to take their time to talk.
Keep Your Talk Simple: Keep your language simple when speaking to your child. Share one idea at a time, and pause between ideas. Make sure your ideas and vocabulary are appropriate for your child's age.
Make Talking Easy for Your Child: Talking is a complex task! Don't pressure your child to speak in situations where they are not yet comfortable.
Avoid asking too many "testing" questions - try COMMENTING instead (e.g., instead of "What happened at school today?", try, "I bet you had fun at recess today!").
This way, children don't feel pressured to respond, but can share what they feel ready to share.
Adapted from: The Speech and Stuttering Institute. (2023) . Pre-school Stuttering: Information for Parents
For more video examples of these strategies, see "7 Tips for Talking with the Child Who Stutters" video from The Stuttering Foundation below:
LEARNING MODULES FROM FIRST WORDS
LEARNING MODULES FROM FIRST WORDS
The First Words Speech & Language Program (Ottawa) has created some excellent learning modules (audio + visual) based on information and research from the Speech and Stuttering Institute in Canada.
Module 8: Why is My Child Stuttering? : Learn more about stuttering in childhood.
Module 9: How to Help a Child Who Stutters : Learn strategies to help support your child who stutters.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DYSFLUENCY
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DYSFLUENCY
Stuttering isn't just about what you can HEAR or SEE...
Stuttering has both signs that you can see, and signs that you can't see.
On the Outside (what you can see)...
There are 2 categories of dysfluency (i.e., interrupted speech), non-stuttered dysfluency, and stuttered dysfluency.
Physical tension (e.g., tension in the face/shoulder/body of the speaker, jaw clenching, eye blinking, etc.) may or may not be present with stuttered type disfluency
On the Inside (what you can't see)...
Information compiled from and credited to: Reeves, N., & Yaruss, J. S. (2018). School-age stuttering: How Teachers Can Help. Stuttering Therapy Resources, Inc.
Talk to your Speech-Language Pathologist for individualized support!
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