Sometimes, our brains move faster than our mouths, and everything gets jumbled up. When this happens in children, they may repeat certain syllables or prolong words or sounds. When it persists, it is called stuttering. Fortunately, it’s possible to help your child overcome this challenge and thrive both in and outside of school.
Stuttering can have a huge impact on a child’s self-confidence. It can lead to teasing, bullying, or simply frustration at always having to say things over again. As self-confidence is crucial to academic success, here are a few examples of what you can do to boost your child’s faith in their abilities:
Although stuttering sometimes makes conversation a little bumpy, it’s important to actively listen to your child when they speak. This will help foster their self-esteem. Here are some tips for being a good listener:
Children naturally imitate their parents, which presents a great opportunity for you to set a good example! If your child has a stutter, it can be helpful to do the following:
Focusing on effort by paying attention to what your child says rather than how they say it will encourage their desire to communicate. This can also help in other ways:
The more support a child receives, the easier it is to overcome the challenges of having a stutter. This is why it’s important to consult a trained professional, such as a speech-language pathologist. Here are some things they can do to help:
To ensure that your child has a supportive and accepting school environment, partner with the team at their school to find solutions. A learning environment tailored to your child’s needs will help them gain control of their speech and manage their stuttering.
Writing : Amélie Cournoyer
Scientific review : Sabah Meziane, orthophoniste
Rewriting : Alloprof Parents' team