Children Who Stutter Are In-Born?
The best stuttering treatment work being done is early intervention for young children who stutter. “The sooner a child receives treatment the shorter the treatment time and the greater the likelihood for lasting gains in fluency,” explains Catherine S. Montgomery of the American Institute for Stuttering. “It is cost effective, in both financial and emotional terms. A lifetime of potential shame and debilitation can be prevented.” There are a number of resources designed for children as young as pre-k. Even though there is a good chance youngsters will naturally overcome a problem stutter, there are resources that will ensure the child feels excited, rather than frustrated, about learning.
Parent reaction is particularly important in encouraging a child who stutters to speak more fluently. Sometimes it’s a knee-jerk reaction to correct people who stutter by interjecting the attempted word as it should be said. Other times, parents aren’t sure what to say and authoritatively command their kids to “think before speaking,” “focus and try again” or “slow down.” Unfortunately, these sentiments of disappointment or alarm can undermine a child’s self-confidence and create a flood of negative emotions that accompany the act of communication. In most cases, stuttering and anxiety go hand-in-hand. While younger children may be able to shrug it off, elementary school kids, teenagers and adults develop aversions and deep-seated insecurities associated with language that makes treatment more challenging. Therefore, it’s important that parents meet with local community support groups to learn more about childhood stuttering.
Games and puzzles provide exciting opportunities to engage children who stutter. Some of the most popular speech therapy games include: You Are In Control (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/TherapyWWW/youareincontrol.pdf), Stuttering Word Find(www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/TherapyWWW/stutteringwordfind.htm), Stuttering Awareness Game (www.quia.com/cb/2807.html) and Stuttering Jeopardy (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/kids/jeopardy.html). Fun computer programs have fared best in studies as far as long-term retention goes. Nearly 75% of children who study independently overcome their stuttering problems without the help of a speech pathologist.
Over at www.superduperinc.com/search/topicSearch.aspx?id=24, parents can find a number of resources aimed at children who stutter. For instance, there is an “Elephone” reading and listening device, a “Fluency River” board game, the “Story Starters” game and the “Holiday/Seasonal Chipper Chat.” Researchers say the best way for children to overcome their speech difficulties is by repetition and desensitization. If they feel that their speech problems are a natural part of learning that can be sorted out with practice, then they are more likely to succeed.
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