Tips for Parents with Children Who Stutter

1. Reduce the pace or rate of your speech.

You need to slow down the rate of your speech when talking with your child, but it is very important that you

a.)    Avoid telling your child to “slow down.” or “stop and take a breath.”

b.)    DO NOT interrupt your child when he/she is speaking, even if the child is making mistakes or having trouble. This will cause your child to become self conscious of his/her stuttering and may make it worse.

c.)    DO NOT have your child practice certain sounds or words. This might make the child uncomfortable about his/her speech.

d.)   Ask other adults not to correct your child's speech and do not talk about your child's speech problems in front of him/her unless it’s brought up by the child.

1. Reduce the complexity of your speech.

Example:

Instead of saying, “It’s cold outside so we need to bundle up and get your jacket so we can go to the store.” You should say, “You need to get your jacket so we can go.”

1. Reduce the pressure on your child to perform verbally.

a.) This does not mean that you encourage your child not to talk. Talking is important for young children’s speech and language development. Simply ask less open ended questions such as “What do you want to do today?” And ask more yes/no questions such as, “Do you want to go with mommy to the store?”

b.)  Encourage your child to talk with you about fun and easy topics in a non-stressful environment.

c.) Do not ask your child to repeat something you do not understand. Attempt to guess what the child is saying and continue on with the conversation.

1. Reduce the general level of excitement in the home.

A more relaxed home environment is encouraged. The less stress shown and expressed by the parents, the less stress picked up by the child.

1. Additional tips:

a.) Listen attentively to your child.

b.) Wait for the child to say the words without saying them for him/her.

c.) If your child brings up the subject, talk openly, in a supportive manner, about the stuttering. Do not make your child’s stuttering a taboo subject. Feel free to talk about it openly because not talking about it may lead your child to think that his/her stuttering is a wrong or shameful thing. If your child is fully aware of his/her stuttering and is showing visible signs of a struggle, acknowledge it and reassure him/her that it will be all right.

d.) Avoid asking your child to speak for others.

** The overall goal at home and/or at therapy is to reduce the level of awareness that your child may have about his/her speech. The less a child knows that he/she stutters, the better the chances are for a positive outcome. **