Future SLP
My question is: Based on your experiences, what would you tell parents of children who stutter?
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Future SLP — 2 Comments
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My question is: Based on your experiences, what would you tell parents of children who stutter?
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Hi sirigoyen
Stuttering on itself makes a person tired and tense in the body. But otherwise it’s not something that is a problem. Unless others turn it into a problem, into something “wrong”. People who don’t do what you do: wait, be patient and show you are listening. Talk rather than asking. Read for him to see if he wants to talk himself. Sitting next to you looking in a book is easier than to sit opposite you and talk. And do fun things. Tell him how great he is at things, so that he can focus on what he’s good at. Give him the words to tell other people what stuttering is and what he wants them to do. Also give him the words to meet bullies “You can imitate me, but I’m still the expert on stuttering”. Get him buttons and t-shirts with a positive stuttering quote on. For fun material, check out StutteringIsCool, with buttons and a fantastic cartoon book. Also the booklet I Just Stutter is a great help to understand, and explain what stuttering is about. Show him video clips on TikTok and similar from f ex Marc Winski, Sam Wiggins and other kids who stutter with pride. And best of all: get him to children camps! It makes me feel so sad that he, at the age of 5, already has all these feelings and experiences. So please help him to get positive feelings.
Most stuttering associations have free material. Give people broschures, send people links. Leave a bunch at his (pre-)school. Help us to raise awareness, as many don’t understand and do and say things that might seem helpful, but that working the opposite way. As what a CWS needs the most is acceptance and loads of love and appreciation for who his is and what he does.
And maybe what both CWS and their parents need to hear the most: it’s noone’s fault, there is no shame in stuttering and life isn’t over just because you stutter.
Keep them talking
Anita
Hi sirigoyen,
You would give them two pieces of advice:
1) talk about stuttering, read books about stuttering (StutteringisCool is a good starting point, as Anita suggested), make sure it doesn’t become a taboo topic;
2) encourage your child to participate in support groups and the stuttering community. Being part of something bigger, getting to know friends and role models will help your child feel less alone in difficult times and normalize stuttering.
Hope this helps
Andrea