As human beings, communication is at the core of every being. So naturally, speech difficulties really hit home for children who stutter. Their inability to express themselves efficiently leads to frustration, anxiety and insecurity. According to the American Institute for Stuttering, it’s believed that a stuttering problem is a combination of genetic and physical factors, combined with emotional ties. “What confuses so many people about stuttering is that, unlike blindness, it doesn’t happen all of the time,” explains AIS director Catherine S. Montgomery. “And it appears to happen more when someone is nervous or anxious, so therefore most assume it is caused by emotions of some sort. While emotions can influence stuttering … psychological factors are not the cause.”
Parent reaction is particularly important in encouraging a child who stutters to speak more fluently. Sometimes it’s a knee-jerk reaction to correct people who stutter by interjecting the attempted word as it should be said. Other times, parents aren’t sure what to say and authoritatively command their kids to “think before speaking,” “focus and try again” or “slow down.” Unfortunately, these sentiments of disappointment or alarm can undermine a child’s self-confidence and create a flood of negative emotions that accompany the act of communication. In most cases, stuttering and anxiety go hand-in-hand. While younger children may be able to shrug it off, elementary school kids, teenagers and adults develop aversions and deep-seated insecurities associated with language that makes treatment more challenging. Therefore, it’s important that parents meet with local community support groups to learn more about childhood stuttering.
A great way to address children who stutter is to buy instructional booklets and coloring sheets that will help alleviate any anxiety or negative emotions that inevitably show up during speech lessons. There are several books available online, such as Sometimes I Just Stutter (www.stuttersfa.org/sijs/sijs.htm), Jeremy and the Hippo (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/ISAD3/papers/jeremybook/jeremy1.html), Boo Goodnight to Halloween (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/kids/boo/index.html), Angel Loves to Talk (www.interactivedesigns.org/nsa-caz/angel.pdf), More Friends for Jackson (www.interactivedesigns.org/nsa-caz/jackson.pdf), Funny Bunny’s Better Idea (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/TherapyWWW/funnybunny.pdf) and Our First Talk about Talking (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/TherapyWWW/ourfirsttalk.pdf). Speech problems often go away on their own if the child can maintain a normal level of self-confidence and simply work through difficult words or syllables.
Children who stutter may feel “stupid” going to speech/stuttering therapy, which is why the role of the parent is so vital to the child’s reading abilities. Parents can participate in their local Stuttering Foundation community group. Otherwise, they should speak slowly and deliberately, while always asking the child how his or her day went and positively encouraging communication. There is still so much to learn about the direct causes and cures of this disorder, so it would make sense to join a related association for their informative newsletters on recent breakthroughs.
Jeremy Larson is a foremost expert in how to acid reflux remedy. He has had extensive experience and conducted countless experiments in finding natural remedy to this ailment. He is also a highly acclaimed writer in the medical field.
