Handling stuttering in children
As children learn to talk, they may repeat certain sounds, stumble on or mispronounce words, hesitate between words, substitute sounds for each other, and be unable to express some sounds. Children with a normal dysfluency usually have brief repetitions of certain sounds, syllables or short words. The stuttering usually comes and goes and is most noticeable when a child is excited, stressed or overly tired.
Many toddlers and preschool age children stutter as they are learning to talk, although many parents worry about it, most of these children will outgrow the stuttering and will have normal speech as they get older.
My three year old has begun stuttering, repeating many words and sounds. He is otherwise growing and developing normally and it does not seem to bother him. Is this normal?
It is not usually known what causes some children to stutter, but it seems to be genetic, and a child is more likely to stutter if a parent also stutters. Stuttering is also more likely to occur in children who are under a lot of stress, for example, after starting a new day care, moving, birth of a new sibling, etc., and it is more common in boys according to studies and these are some steps you can take to help your child include:
* Not correcting or interrupting him when his is talking, and ask others to not correct him either.
* Not asking him to repeat himself or tell him to slow down.
* Do not make him practice saying certain words or sounds.
* Be sure to talk to your child slowly and clearly and give him the time he needs to finish what he is trying to say.
* Talk to your child a lot by discussing his day, narrating out loud the things you are doing and reading books.
If the stuttering is ignored, it will usually resolve without any intervention. Parents will need to be supportive though if the stuttering is bothering their child.
According Jibike Ola, a mother and a therapist, she says parents should boost their child’s self confidence and have in mind that taunting and nagging is not the solution to stop stuttering and she also gave some ways to help your child cope with stuttering:
Give Confidence: Stuttering lowers the confidence and self esteem of your child. As a parent always make him feel secure at home. Instill confidence in him and make him feel that the problem is going to fade away with time and he does not have to worry about it all the time. She said giving confidence to a child that stutters can help him/her overcome the problem by others who tease and make fun of him.
Positive Environment: Your child is greatly affected when people make his mockery at school or when out playing. But he feels more hurt when the same thing repeats at home, so a s a parent make sure that your child at home is not teased by his/ her siblings as this will not help him/ her to cope stuttering. Do not nag and Shout: Your child is bound to be slow and will make mistakes but that doesn’t mean that you should shout at him. Nagging and shouting will make the condition difficult for your child to overcome stuttering. So do not put any restriction when he speaks as this will help him to cope easily. Remember to encourage him and ask him to try and make less mistakes instead of shouting.
Have Patience: Stuttering cannot be conquered in one day but patience is a very important thing that parents should have. Showing patience will help a child overcome stuttering. Few children stop stuttering in less time while some takes long years to overcome the habit.
Show Interest: Stutterers only feel relaxed when they are at home where everyone knows them. They also get excited like other children and also like to express what happened in school to their parents. At such times, it is left for parents to show interest in how they narrate what happened in the school; how he fell or how his classmate injured him while playing and so many things he may want to talk about. showing disinterest will bring down their confidence levels. So it is always better that you assign time to talk or listen to them whenever they come home from outside. This will not only make them feel relieved but also make them feel happy. Also when they talk, remember not to interrupt or find flaws at that time only. Whenever you want to correct them, explain them in a calm manner rather than shouting.
Anne Agbaje