Stuttering Factors 1. Stuttering is not caused by one single factor.
2. Stuttering is not caused by anxiety, nervousness, and/or an emotional problem.
3. Stuttering can come and go or vary based on the environment.
4. Stuttering can cause embarrassment or fear in children.
5. Some children can hide their stuttering so well they may not be identified as needing help.
Stuttering Treatment
1. The goal of treatment in young children is to speak fluently. This is taught by working on timing and tension of the child’s speech through play based activities and modeling.
2. The goal of treatment in older children is to improve fluency and help children develop healthy and positive attitudes about themselves and their speech.
Teasing and Bullying
Children that stutter may be a target for teasing and bullying due to the noticeable difference in the way they speak. The child, family and the child’s speech-language pathologist can develop a plan for handling teasing. Here are some suggestions:
1. Educate peers about stuttering.
2. Open conversation about individual differences among a peer group. Don’t focus on the stuttering, but focus on the differences of each individual in the group.
3. Encourage the child who stutters to inform an adult if teasing or bullying occurs and how this makes them feel.
References
Yaruss, J. and Coleman, C. 2009, “Stuttering at a Glance: Information for Teachers”. The Stuttering Center of Western Pennsylvania
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