My Child Is Stuttering…What Do I Do Now?
Hello, friends!
If you landed on this page because you have a child who is stuttering…I am glad you are here! I can assure you I do not have all the answers, but I do have some information that might be helpful to you, so keep on reading!
First of all, welcome! I know that if you are seeking out information, you are feeling some type of way (maybe…afraid, nervous, desperate, confused, overwhelmed). I want you to know…you are not alone. A lot of parents bring their children to see me (or another speech therapist) when they notice stuttering that persists and does not go away. The majority of research suggests that if stuttering persists past the age of 7, more than likely the individual will continue to stutter into their adult life. This can often be a difficult pill for parents to swallow, as most people begin a path of therapy looking for a cure. However, there is no magic pill, trick to learn, or tool to use, that will help someone stop stuttering all together. A person who stutters can have days where they are very fluent and have near no stuttering behaviors, and other days where simple communication can feel impossible. So many factors contribute to our ability to effectively communicate as people who do not stutter, and those same factors will impact a person who does stutters (think…enough sleep, stress, excitement, illness, emotionality of the message, etc). That being said, a child who is stuttering (and their parents) can be helped by the guidance of a skilled speech therapist, learning to navigate the bumpy path that may lie ahead. A child may not achieve perfect daily fluency, but they can learn how to become confident speakers who make sure the world hears what they have to say. They can learn how to navigate the self-care they need to maintain the best version of them, and they can learn to be advocates for themselves as/if needed. In addition, they can learn how to help teach others that stuttering is another form of diversity (verbal diversity, to be exact), and the uniqueness of their speech should be embraced and appreciated.
Let me be the first to tell you that research in the area of stuttering can be very difficult to follow, as many people have strong opinions, thoughts, and findings. As a concerned parent, when you begin the journey of seeking out information, this wide variety of content available online can be overwhelming. You will find various modes of treatment suggested, and might find yourself thinking, what is the best approach? That being said, regardless of the treatment you choose to begin, stuttering therapy is more of a marathon than a sprint. Being a person who stutters is a very personal journey, and that journey of self-acceptance will look very different for each person and their support people. Finding the right speech therapist to help you on that journey is a main key to setting the person who stutters up for success.
My suggestion would be to ask some of these questions during your consultation or evaluation with the speech therapist.
What special training do you have in the area of stuttering?
Do you regularly work with people who stutter?
What therapy approaches do you use with your clients who stutter?
If you have read this far, I hope that this information has helped you in some way. I would like to remind you Buckeye Speech Path offers free 15-minute consultations, as/if needed, and you can schedule your appointment today by calling the office. We are ready to help you and your family on this journey (wherever you are at on this journey), and we want you to remember this…the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!
TAKE THE FIRST STEP WITH BUCKEYE SPEECH PATH:
