Therapy and time with parents may help kids who stutter

Therapy and time with parents may help kids who stutter


Parents who feel that their child is lagging behind when it comes to speaking should look into products to improve speech skills. It's important for children to feel confident in their speaking abilities so that they can thrive in school, both socially and academically.  One way to help kids may be through speech therapy classes, which have been shown to effectively improve problems such as stuttering.

For example, a recent study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that just one week of speech therapy may help reduce the incidence of stuttering.

A little therapy goes a long way
Researchers in China examined 28 people who stutter and 13 who did not. The majority of the stutterers received a week of therapy with three sessions per day, while the control group abstained. During the therapy, the participants repeated two-syllable words that were spoken to them and then read others aloud.

The individuals who received the therapy improved their average scores on stuttering tests and lowered their percentage of stuttered syllables. However, there was no change for individuals who did not participate in the speech classes. This suggests that therapy can effectively improve speech skills, and may be able to help with other linguistic issues as well.

Other ways to reduce stuttering
The Stuttering Foundation offers tips on how to talk to a child who stutters in a way that may help them feel relaxed and improve their condition. For example, parents should talk to their child in an unhurried way, with frequent pauses. Rather than constantly encouraging a child who stutters to speak slowly, it's a good idea for parents to use their own speech as an example of how he or she should talk.

Also, parents should set aside time each day for their child who stutters, so he or she can get undivided attention. During this time, parents should let their child choose what he or she wants to do, and they should use slow, calm and relaxed speech. The Foundation states that this calm and quiet time can help build confidence in children who stutter, and may encourage them to talk about their feelings and experiences.

Finally, it's important for parents to tell their child who stutters that although they want to help them stop stuttering, they accept him or who for who they are, regardless of how they speak.