Talking to Parents
Hello! I am a school-based SLP-A and a 2nd year graduate student. Any suggestions regarding speaking to parents concerned about the recent onset of their young child stuttering? Any specific information that has helped parents understand onset and duration?
Hello and thank you for your question!
With children it really depends on a lot of variables, like whether it seems to be normal nonfluency or stuttering.. For a child who displays struggle-free word or phrase repetitions, using an analogy of a child attempting to walk might help. The baby stumbles and falls so often, but a parent simply watches in awe and helps the baby along. Why then, should a disfluency receive a reaction of anxiety or alarm?
For a child who seems to have stuttering-like dysfluencies, parents inevitably ask whether this is a “phase, or something that will stay with the child”. At such times I find it helpful to compare stuttering to any other “difference” or “tendency” a child might have, accept, and lead a fruitful and happy life with, nonetheless!