Top Tips for Parents
The ideas that follow are necessarily general and some of them
will make sense and be easy to try out, while others will feel less
useful. Don't try to do them all at once - select one or two at
a time to begin with. Nothing works immediately, so gradually build
up a few that seem to be helpful and discard the ones that are not.
We all want to help the child who is struggling to speak. Have
a go at these and see if they help...
1. It may be unhelpful to tell your child to slow down. Adults
find it hard enough to change their rate of talking and we shouldn't
ask a child to do something that we can't do! Your child may be
able to go more slowly for a moment or two, but it is unlikely that
it will last - then you will both end up feeling frustrated.
2. While your child will probably be more fluent if you ask them
to say the problem word again, this is unlikely to help him or her
the next time he or she tries to say the same word.
3. Telling your child to think first before he or she speaks has
a short-term effect. It can also add to the frustration.
4. Try to arrange some time during the day - perhaps five minutes
- when the child can have your undivided attention in a calm and
relaxed atmosphere.
5. Listen carefully to your child, concentrating on what he or she
is saying, not how he/she is saying it. Try not to look away from
your child when he or she is having difficulty talking.
6. Slow down your own rate of talking, as this helps to create a
calm and relaxed atmosphere for speaking.
7. Reduce the number of questions you ask, and make sure you give
your child time to answer one before asking another.
8. Allow time for your child to finish what he or she has to say,
rather than finishing it for them.
9. Pay attention to the number of times the child who stammers is
being interrupted, or interrupts others. Explain to all the family
the importance of taking turns when talking.
10. Praise your child for the things he or she does well (not related
to talking) as this can help build confidence.
11. Treat your stammering child in exactly the same way as you would
any other child regarding their behaviour - discipline needs to
be appropriate and consistent.
12. Stammering and a fast pace of life don't always go well together.
Some routine and structure in daily life can be helpful.
13. As with all children, enough sleep and a healthy diet are important
to mental and physical development.
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