I'm worried about my son, he stutters and I wanted to know some activities that i could do @ home with him.

Question

I'm worried about my son, he stutters and I wanted to know some activities that i could do @ home with him.

Answer 1

Hi, some preschool children have stutters because they have learnt so many words and have so much to say that they kinda get stuck when it all tries to tumble out...encourage him to talk slowly but dont hurry him or say what or butt in-he may need time to just get used to his new level of speech.

But if you are worried speak to his preschool teacher (if he's in childcare) or your health visitor or GP. They should be able to put you in touch with a speech and language therapist.

http://www.ican.org.uk this may be a useful website for you!

Activty ideas-song time, slow rhymes, action songs as they focus on rhythm and rhyme.

-read stories to him-speak slowly and stop at full stops and commas so he learns sentence structure. Also maybe choose stories such as Going On A Bear Hunt as they have repeated lines whichare great for children with speech difficulties.

Answer 2

Stuttering may commonly occur in the normal language development of toddlers 3 - 4 years of age. It occurs because ideas come to mind faster than the child is able to express them. It more commonly occurs if the toddler is tired, stressed, or excited.

When the child is speaking, give your full, prompt attention, and do not comment on the stuttering. If the stuttering is accompanied with other signs, such as tics, grimacing, extreme self-consciousness, or if the stuttering persists longer than 6 months, consider having the child evaluated by a speech pathologist.

Your best source of help for stuttering, especially with a young child is The Stuttering Foundation of America.  Check out www.stutteringhelp.org and you will find tips for parents of ways they can help, if and when your child needs to see a speech therapist who specializes in treating stuttering, a list of referrals to specialists all over the world, online videos, helpful books you can find at your library or in the estore, etc.  They are a nonprofit group started by a man who stuttered.

Answer 3

You don't say how old your child is- he can have a free evaluaton regardless of his age at your local public school - just call and ask for an appointment with the speech pathologist there.  Our local hospital also offers this service.  Good luck.   These professionals will be able to tell you if this is something he will outgrow and put your mind at ease or if it is something you will need to work on at home with him.

Answer 4

It may be entirely normal for your child.  A little stuttering is sometimes quite normal developmentally at a young age and kids may outgrow it without any intervention.  Don't make a big fuss about it.  Be patient when he is speaking and just encourage him to take his time and think through what he wants to say.  Smile and be positive, and repeat what he has said to you to be sure you understood correctly and to reinforce to him that he is communicating adequately.  If you are still concerned, speak to his doctor about it.  Just don't make a big issue of it, and don't try to push him to stop.  Allow him to outgrow it on his own.

Answer 5

I just spent three months in speech therapy with my 4 year old because he struggled with normal "spontanious" speech.  He would get hung up on begining sounds like "I I I I I I I want to go to McDonalds".  Our therapist was great and assured me that he had too many thoughts in his head and not enough time to get them all out.  Her tips were to talk slowly to him, have him repeat things you say s-l-o-w-l-y.  She would draw a picture of a slide on a piece of paper and she'd have some pictures or books for him to describe what was going on.  If Wyatt used "bumpy talking" she'd ask him to repeat it and use the "slide" to say it.  She'd ask him if he recognized the "bumpy" words in his sentences while having conversations with him.  Then she'd talk and use bumpy words and ask him to point them out.  "I want to go out on the p-p-p-p-playground".  If he heard it then she'd "use the slide" to make it smooth.  I was told not to finish sentences for him, allow him to finish then ask him to slow down and finish them with smooth talking and not bumpy talking.  

I really feel for you, I know how frustrating and heartbreaking it can be.  As long as his face isn't contorting when he talks(Like it's hurting him to get the words out) then I was told not to worry too much, he'd grow out of it.  Even though speech therapy is over for us Wyatt still has bumpy talking from time to time but then I'll see him repeat the sentence quietly and use his "slide" in the air.  It's funny cause if it's a long sentence it almost seems like a roller coaster.  lol

Good luck