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Coping and Support for Children-Do’s and Don’ts

Stuttering/Stammering - Coping and Support for Children-Do’s and Don’ts

The following tips can help parents and elders deal with children who stutter and make them feel less conscious about their stuttering:-

Do’s

  • Create a relaxed home atmosphere and encourage your child to speak freely
  • Maintain eye contact when the child speaks and listen to the child attentively
  • Speak slowly to the stuttering child. The child will try and imitate you  and this will help decrease stuttering
  • Encourage slow speech and allow the child plenty of time to talk
  • Set aside a special time when you can give your wholesome attention to the child
  • At meal times try to draw the child into a conversation
  • Take turns to talk. Encourage each person, young or old, to be a good listener and to take turns to talk
  • Wait for the child to complete what he or she is trying to say
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Don’ts

Stress and undue pressure can increase stuttering, especially among children. Avoid doing the following:-

  • Asking many questions
  • Interrupting when the child stutters
  • Filling in words or completing sentences when the child is trying to communicate
  • Instructing the child to start again when stuttering in mid-sentence or insisting the child repeat stuttered words
  • Prodding the child to speak in front of a group of people to overcome shyness—the stuttering will become worse
  • Correcting the child’s speech with constant instructions like, “take a deep breath,” “relax, not so fast” or “slow down”
  • Constantly reminding the child to think before speaking
  • Punishing the child for stuttering or drawing attention to the child’s stuttering
  • Considering the child’s stuttering as an ailment and discussing it with friends and relatives in the child’s presence

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