Stuttering Advice
Hello, my name is Jaci! I am currently a grad student and have been working as an SLP-Assistant for the past four years in a school setting. I have a variety of students on my caseload who stutter; some in Kinder and some in middle school. Most of the students I work with are aware of their stutter and has negatively impacted them. Does the approach for providing stuttering intervention for a child vary on their age? For specific ethnicities, do you address stuttering in a different way to the child and parent?
Hi Jaci,
Thank you for your question.
Speaking as a parent of a young person who stutters who is now an adult I think her need with regard to speech therapy changed over her childhood and teenage years. I think age and maturity appropriate interventions are very important for a child, as even at a young age a child can indicate what aspects of their speech is bothering them most.
When my daughter was very young her SLP worked with both me as her parent and her to build her confidence and resilience when facing the outside world with a stutter. As she got older and she became more aware of her stutter she began to gather a tool kit of techniques to make her speech less of a struggle while continuing to build on her self confidence and resilience. When she got to preteen and teen years she worked on strategies to help her negotiate school and social life e.g. how she might make a presentation in class or make new friends. She also began to take more control over her decisions on how to negotiate her stutter, so she would problem solve with me or her SLP to figure out what she was comfortable and capable of doing in speaking situations.
I do think it is important that an SLP is part of the team with a child and parent so that everyone understands the expectations around speech therapy, use the same terminology and are working towards the same goals. The expectations, terminology and goals may change over time but should only change in response to the needs of the child and with the agreement of the parent.
I hope all that makes sense and is helpful.
Best of luck with your studies.
Veronica
Hi Jaci
As soon as a child sees a raised eyebrow, someone looking at their watch, someone starting to giggle, they know they are different. From that moment on every re/action counts. Positive and negative. The more they learn that stuttering is ok, and that they are good enough and can have a fulfilling life no matter what, they will grow stronger and face hurdles. But also the opposite.
Yes, there is a different approach for children, teens, young adults and older PWS. From a more playful, to acceptance, to challenging. Also parents, teachers, classmates and others surrounding the PWS should be involved in sessions and stuttering awareness. As they can make all the difference.
keep them talking
Anita
Most of the students I work with are aware of their stutter and has negatively impacted them. Does the approach for providing stuttering intervention for a child vary on their age? For specific ethnicities, do you address stuttering in a different way to the child and parent?