All of us have moments, especially in times of stress or panic, where we find it hard to get a sentence out or trip over our words. But for those of us who stutter, these periods of impeded speech happen much more often and can hamper our ability to communicate effectively. Because speech is such a vital aspect of human communication, children and adults with speech impediments often feel intimidated when speaking. For parents with a child who stutters, here are some tips that can help your child overcome their speech anxiety, brought to you by stuttering Los Angeles treatment provider, LA Speech Therapy Solutions:
Be patient with your child.
They may have difficulty formulating sentences because of their stutter, so it is important to allow them the time necessary to complete their sentences.
Make practicing speech a part of your daily routine.
Having daily practices may help to boost your child’s confidence by helping your child become comfortable with speaking.
Do not push your child too far too fast.
Communication may already give your child anxiety. In order to build their confidence, the child needs to have some control over the parameters of their daily speech therapy sessions. This means do not overexert them when they have reached their limit.
The child’s environment should feel encouraging.
It is important that your child feels supported by you when overcoming any issue they may have. Making a child feel bad for having a stutter will only halt their progress by heightening their anxiety around communication.
Accept your child as they are.
Stuttering is rare and children are often bullied for it. As a parent it is your job to remind your child that there is nothing wrong with them for having a stutter. Some of the most iconic speakers, voice actors, even royalty have suffered from a stutter. Stuttering does not have to be a barrier between a child and the rest of the world.
