How do you help a stutterer?

Question

A guy I work with has a very severe stutter. He gets stuck on words and can't finish a sentence. He just keeps saying the same word over and over and I feel really bad for him but I don't know what to do. What is the protocol? Should I help him finish his sentences? Is that the nice thing to do or is that the wrong thing to do?

Answer 1

That would be interrupting, and would be rude.  If you aren't patient, with him, that will make him stutter more.  Relax, and don't feel bad for him.  He doesn't want your pitty, he wants respect like every other adult.

Answer 2

Electroshock therapy works.

Answer 3

Most people who stutter hate it when others finish their sentences for them.  There are some though who appreciate the help when they get stuck.  Ask him what he would prefer that you do.

People who stutter will stutter less if you slow your own speech down.  Check out this page http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.as... for more tips on talking with someone who stutters.

Tell your coworker to get the book "Self Therapy for the Stutterer" from your public library.  That is what helped our family.  Give him this info, too:

www.stutteringhelp.org  there are videos online that show speech therapists working with stutterers; watch them and learn some techniques.

http://stutteringselfhelp-stutteringself...

http://stutteringhelp-bud.blogspot.com/

http://notesonstuttering.blogspot.com/

Meet others who stutter here http://groups.myspace.com/stutteringfoun...

http://www.stutteringforum.com/forums/

stutteringchat on Yahoo groups

Answer 4

Don't interrupt, don't finish the sentances, just be patient and let him talk.  Honestly, he will stutter less the more comfortable he is, so if you just talk to him like anyone else, and don't finish his thought for him, he will ease up eventually.

Answer 5

Don't finish his sentences, keep normal eye contact and wait for him to finish.

My stuttering used to be severe. Most people tried not to laugh, but laughing at me was better than someone finishing my sentence.

Peace

Answer 6

It's good you want to help and it's understandable that you don't know the protocol, but it would be the wrong thing to "help" him finish his sentence.

I used to stutter.  I still stutter when I am extremely tired.  I hated it when others tried to finish my sentences for me.  First, the other person did not always know what I was going to say.  More importantly, it was disrespectful not to wait for me to finish.  Let's face it, even people who don't stutter sometimes ramble on or have other communication problems.  If two people are to have a polite conversation, that requires some patience.

BTW, when I knew or suspected the other person was impatient and wanted to finish my sentences, that just made me more nervous and sometimes made my stuttering even worse.

Answer 7

I used to have a stuttering problem, but I just read things out loud to myself at home. Now it's pretty much gone.

Don't finish his sentences for him because you will appear to be impatient and if you finish it wrong then he will be offended. Just wait for him to finish!