If your child has a stutter, they may grow out of it over time. This is common for a child when they get scared, upset, or very excited but some can stutter most of the time. Below is information to help your child with this problem.
Speech Therapy
One thing you should do is take your child to a speech therapist. They are qualified to help children with this problem. Not all speech therapists work the same, but many follow the same practices.
The treatment your child will receive is based on their age and other factors. If your child is preschool age their therapy will be different than a child that is school age. With a preschooler, the therapy includes teaching the child to talk slower and helping them form words correctly. Taking their time to think before they speak is another treatment.
For children that have started school, they will be taught different techniques to help them sound out words, speak at the right speed, and more. The treatment your child receives will be tailored to their needs. A speech therapist can give you much more information on the different types of treatments they use.
Things You Can Do to Help Your Child
There are many things you can do at home to help your child. A speech therapist will also give you tips on this. One, you should talk slower to your child as this may help them also talk slower. Try to keep their environment calm as much as you can. If your child gets angry help them calm down by speaking softly with them, playing soft music, and more.
You should tell your child that you understand their stuttering and that you are there to help them. Make sure your child gets the amount of sleep they need as being overtired can make their stutter worse.
Never tell your child that you are frustrated with them but instead encourage them. Also, let them know it is okay that they stutter and that you can still understand them when they speak. The last thing your child needs is for you or any other family member to get mad at them because they stutter.
Approximately 5% of children stutter from the ages of two to five and they generally get over it when they are around seven to eight years old. This is not always the case, however, and your child may stutter throughout their life.
To help your child with their stutter, consider hiring rehabilitation care services.
