When young children are developing, their brain is working overtime to make space for all the new information they are taking in on a daily basis. When demands increase, it is natural for that processing to slow down due to insufficient capacity. Stuttering can occur when the capacity for fluent speech is not meeting the demands of the language they are producing, or the demands of their environment.
However, there are things parents can do to help control the environment in order to reduce disfluencies and encourage more fluent speech overall.
- Model fluent communication. Speak to your child in a way that uses naturally slowed speech. Model for them how to take your time when speaking by taking full, deep breaths, pausing after every couple of words or phrases, and waiting a few seconds after your child has spoken before you jump in right away. Modeling fluent communication is much more effective than drawing your child’s attention to their disfluencies and prompting them to “slow down.”
- Reduce communication demands. Reduce the expectation for fast answers or interactions. Try to limit your questions to 1-2 during an interaction. When possible, ask your child close ended questions or provide choices (ex. “Do you want spaghetti or pizza for dinner?”).
- Decrease time pressure. Allow your child plenty of time to answer a question. Engage them in important conversations when there is sufficient time for them to communicate. For example, don’t ask them about how school is going when you are rushing them off to soccer practice. Rather, save such questions for when they are in bed later on that night and winding down for the day. Set aside special time during the day for unhurried communication.
- Full listening. Give your child your full attention when they are speaking to you as much as possible. When children don’t feel like they need to rush or compete for time with their parents, they are able to take the time needed to slow down and control their speech. Inform other family members, including siblings, that it is important for the child who stutters to not be interrupted when they are sharing a story with others.
- Build their confidence. When children are aware that they stutter, they may experience shame or embarrassment around their disfluent speech. All children, but especially children who stutter, need to feel confident in their abilities. Praising your child when they are speaking in a slow and controlled manner is great, but it is important to build their confidence in other areas as well. Praising their hard work at school, artistic abilities, kindness, is just as important as it builds their sense of self worth outside of their communication abilities. Try to be as specific as possible when providing praise. Saying things like “I love how you shared your toy with your sister” or “You did a great job using lots of colors in your picture!” is more meaningful than simply saying “Good job!”