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Encouragement For Stuttering Child

11th December, 2009 - Posted by health news - No Comments

The average stuttering child begins suddenly, with no apparent cause; yet as quickly as he started, he stops. It is common for several members of the family to have speech disorders at some point. Stuttering is 3 to 4 times’ more likely in boys than girls and may persist throughout elementary school, although rare. The longer a child has been stuttering, the harder it is for him to stop. Parents should be concerned if the child appears to be really struggling with language or if the condition persists for more than six months.

When dealing with a stuttering child, it is important for parents to be patient and speak slowly to passively encourage the child to do the same. Parents can use shorter sentences and easier words when talking to younger children. Asking one question at a time can eliminate additional stress or frustration the child may face. Parents should encourage a family environment where everyone takes turns speaking and listening. Siblings, neighborhood kids or classmates who tease kids for speech problems must be reprimanded and taught that this sort of behavior is unacceptable. Most of all, parents must always love and respect their child and ensure that he or she does not feel they are to blame.

There are also some things that parents should not do with a child who stutters. A common mistake is to finish the sentence for the child, which will make him feel inferior and confused. Forcing children to speak or recite something in front of visitors is also a huge embarrassment. Cruel comments like “stop stuttering” or “say it again without stuttering” will only demean the child and prohibit any sort of recovery. Even nicer prompts like “think about what you want to say before you say it” or “focus and try again” — can be troublesome and frustrating. Parents must not convey disappointment in the child’s efforts; only encouragement. The schoolyard can be a cold and lonely place for kids who are perceived as being different. Be aware of the school situation and try to ensure that no one is teasing your child about his stuttering problem.

For more stuttering information, parents might want to contact the American Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Professional Training, which provides quality documents for parents, kids, teachers and speech pathologists to work together in alleviating speech problems. The institute can greatly improve the quality of life for a stuttering child and provides cost-effective methods of overcoming the issue. Every community has a number of inexpensive resources, but it helps to know where to find them. Contact the institute by calling 1-877-3 STUTTER (1-877-378-8883).

Rene Lacape has been in the insurance industry for several years now and he has been a proficient worker in this field already. If you need anything about insurance, you can give him a call or visit his website anytime.