Supporting Your Child Who Stutters: A Neurodiversity Affirming Perspective
Virginia Woronoff, M.S., CCC-SLP
Bilnigual Speech Pathologist at Communicate with Kate Speech Therapy
As parents, we want our children to feel confident and empowered, regardless of any challenges they may face. For children who stutter, it is essential to provide them with the support and tools they need to communicate effectively while also embracing their uniqueness. Here are some strategies to support your child who stutters.
The Four Fs of Stuttering (The Fluency School by SLP Stephan)
The Four Fs of Stuttering are a useful framework for creating person-centered goals for children who stutter. These include Fluency (decreasing stuttering severity), Feelings (increasing positive attitudes related to stuttering), Familiar People Rating (reducing concerns around communication abilities among family, teachers, and friends), and Functional Impact (decreasing the overall impact of stuttering on academic, non-academic, and extracurricular activities).
Environmental Stressors
Stressful situations such as changes in routine, bedtime, or when a parent is away traveling can impact a child's stuttering. As a parent, you can provide support by being aware of these stressors and making adjustments to their routine to minimize their impact.
Strategies for Home Use
When your child brings up their stuttering, it is essential to talk to them about it in a way that normalizes their experience.
Around 75% of preschoolers are aware of their stutter. When your child brings it up you can talk to them about it in the same way you might talk to them about any other hard experience (i.e. getting a shot, scraping her knee, losing a favorite toy, etc). First, define stuttering (i.e. when your words get stuck in your mouth/throat, that’s called stuttering), then, normalize it for them (i.e. many kids stutter when they are younger and some adults stutter as well. For example, the president of the United States stutters.)
If your child shows frustration toward their stutter, verbally empathize with them (i.e. That sound got really stuck didn’t it. That can be frustrating. But you can take as much time as you need to get your words out. Know that I love listening to what you have to say no matter how your words come out.)
When you notice that your child is having an increase in stuttering, make an effort to speak slower yourself and be on the lookout for any signs of frustration that they may show around their stutter. If you notice them, talk about it with them in the suggested format above (define, normalize, empathize).
Practice + draw responses to when a peer asks something along the lines of “why do you talk like that” (i.e. sometimes my words get stuck in my throat and I need an extra second to get them out. When it happens you just have to be patient and let me finish saying my idea.)
Finally, incorporating books about stuttering and diversity in general can help children feel seen and understood. Resources such as "The Girl Who Stutters" by Mia J. Gonzalez and "We're Different, We're the Same" by Bobbi Kates are excellent options to consider. See our recommended resource list below!
Supporting a child who stutters requires a neurodiversity affirming approach that embraces their unique communication style. By working with their SLP to develop personalized goals, and providing support at home, parents can help their children feel empowered and confident in their communication skills. Remember, stuttering is just one aspect of your child's identity, and it does not define them. With the right support, your child can flourish and thrive.
More Resources:
Connect with other stutterers
Social media, meetups, ect
Books:
Stuttering is Cool comic book https://www.amazon.com/Stuttering-is-Cool/dp/099216320X
Felix the Fact Finding Fox https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e79870b18dedc255409dc0e/t/6010733993ddd42f9c863013/1611690819671/Felix+the+Fact-Finding+Fox+Finds+Stuttering+Facts+-+An+SLP+Stephen+Stuttering+Story.pdf
Podcast (Daniele Rossi is a digital marketer in Canada who has stuttered since he was four years old. He hosts the Stuttering is Cool podcast where he interviews other people who stutter)
http://stutteringiscool.com/stuttering-is-cool-podcast/
If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, contact your local speech and language pathologist today.
Written by Virginia Woronoff, M.S., CCC-SLP
Virginia (Gigi) is a bilingual ENG/SPA Speech Pathologist who is passionate about supporting educators, parents and other health professionals working with bi/multilingual children. Gigi is orginally from the USA.