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Shell
August 3rd 03, 04:28 AM
My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past month we've
noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every sentence she says she
struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to handle it. My DH
says to ignore it, he stuttered when he was a teenager. When she's with me,
I work with her to say the word separately, when she can do that her
confidence builds and she says the sentence without stuttering. (she
struggles with the word again later though). Any suggestions? What's the
best way to help her with this?

~Shell

toto
August 3rd 03, 04:37 AM
On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 03:28:57 GMT, "Shell" > wrote:

>My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past month we've
>noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every sentence she says she
>struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to handle it. My DH
>says to ignore it, he stuttered when he was a teenager. When she's with me,
>I work with her to say the word separately, when she can do that her
>confidence builds and she says the sentence without stuttering. (she
>struggles with the word again later though). Any suggestions? What's the
>best way to help her with this?
>
>~Shell
>
http://preschoolerstoday.com/resources/articles/stutter.htm

How To Handle It
Experts at the Stuttering Foundation or America recommend
that parents listen to what their child is saying and respond to
the child -- not to the stuttering. They also recommend that
parents use a relaxed rate of conversation, make affirming
responses like smiling or saying "uh-huh," make eye contact
with the child and allow the child to finish the word. Parents
should also avoid saying things like, "stop that," or, "say it right."
The child is already frustrated and that frustration should be
acknowledged.

Most importantly, a parent should not tease the child or
respond negatively. "Parents should not imitate the child,
tease the child or allow others to do that, even in a good-natured
way," Kelly says. Cook remembers not only being frustrated but
also being "worried about what others thought of me."

For most young children, stuttering resolves spontaneously in
the first 12 to 18 months after they start stuttering. Cook says
she naturally outgrew stuttering and learned to control it by
speaking slower and thinking before she spoke.

If the problem has not resolved after 18 to 24 months, the child
is more likely to have a chronic stuttering problem.

"Intervention is more successful the earlier it occurs, for
preschooler or early school-age kids, before they've developed
a lot of negative reactions," Kelly says.

Learning techniques to resolve stuttering takes between one to
two months and then several more months to learn techniques
for every day situations. Re-evaluations and checkups are
necessary steps in resolving stuttering.

Learning these techniques in a clinic is easier than learning
them at home, according to Kelly. Even if treatment is sought
in a clinic, Kelly recommends that the family get involved. "It's
good to involve parents, siblings and peers so the child has
an advocate outside the clinic."

Other Effects of Stuttering
A decreased rate of conversation is not the only possible
effect of stuttering. Depending on the child's personality and
temperament, a child might experience mood changes.

"Children who are very shy already may refuse to talk or become
very shy about it," Kelly says. "Kids who are more assertive or
outgoing may just push the stuttering out no matter what and
keep going."

Stuttering can also make school difficult. The child may be teased
and taunted.

"Other children will imitate or call the child names," Kelly says.
"It's an unusual enough problem that when a child is having a
problem with fluency it will be recognized."

Once kids get into school, information is available to help
teachers handle various situations, but stuttering becomes an
extremely difficult problem as teenager with dating and social
interaction. If a parent discovers that their child has a stuttering
problem, she should seek an evaluation -- the sooner the
better.

"We like to see children early because we can give parents an
idea if this is typical development or something to worry about,"
Kelly says.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..
Outer Limits

Shell
August 3rd 03, 04:45 AM
Thanks!

"toto" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 03:28:57 GMT, "Shell" > wrote:
>
> >My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past month
we've
> >noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every sentence she says
she
> >struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to handle it. My
DH
> >says to ignore it, he stuttered when he was a teenager. When she's with
me,
> >I work with her to say the word separately, when she can do that her
> >confidence builds and she says the sentence without stuttering. (she
> >struggles with the word again later though). Any suggestions? What's
the
> >best way to help her with this?
> >
> >~Shell
> >
> http://preschoolerstoday.com/resources/articles/stutter.htm
>
> How To Handle It
> Experts at the Stuttering Foundation or America recommend
> that parents listen to what their child is saying and respond to
> the child -- not to the stuttering. They also recommend that
> parents use a relaxed rate of conversation, make affirming
> responses like smiling or saying "uh-huh," make eye contact
> with the child and allow the child to finish the word. Parents
> should also avoid saying things like, "stop that," or, "say it right."
> The child is already frustrated and that frustration should be
> acknowledged.
>
> Most importantly, a parent should not tease the child or
> respond negatively. "Parents should not imitate the child,
> tease the child or allow others to do that, even in a good-natured
> way," Kelly says. Cook remembers not only being frustrated but
> also being "worried about what others thought of me."
>
> For most young children, stuttering resolves spontaneously in
> the first 12 to 18 months after they start stuttering. Cook says
> she naturally outgrew stuttering and learned to control it by
> speaking slower and thinking before she spoke.
>
> If the problem has not resolved after 18 to 24 months, the child
> is more likely to have a chronic stuttering problem.
>
> "Intervention is more successful the earlier it occurs, for
> preschooler or early school-age kids, before they've developed
> a lot of negative reactions," Kelly says.
>
> Learning techniques to resolve stuttering takes between one to
> two months and then several more months to learn techniques
> for every day situations. Re-evaluations and checkups are
> necessary steps in resolving stuttering.
>
> Learning these techniques in a clinic is easier than learning
> them at home, according to Kelly. Even if treatment is sought
> in a clinic, Kelly recommends that the family get involved. "It's
> good to involve parents, siblings and peers so the child has
> an advocate outside the clinic."
>
> Other Effects of Stuttering
> A decreased rate of conversation is not the only possible
> effect of stuttering. Depending on the child's personality and
> temperament, a child might experience mood changes.
>
> "Children who are very shy already may refuse to talk or become
> very shy about it," Kelly says. "Kids who are more assertive or
> outgoing may just push the stuttering out no matter what and
> keep going."
>
> Stuttering can also make school difficult. The child may be teased
> and taunted.
>
> "Other children will imitate or call the child names," Kelly says.
> "It's an unusual enough problem that when a child is having a
> problem with fluency it will be recognized."
>
> Once kids get into school, information is available to help
> teachers handle various situations, but stuttering becomes an
> extremely difficult problem as teenager with dating and social
> interaction. If a parent discovers that their child has a stuttering
> problem, she should seek an evaluation -- the sooner the
> better.
>
> "We like to see children early because we can give parents an
> idea if this is typical development or something to worry about,"
> Kelly says.
>
>
> --
> Dorothy
>
> There is no sound, no cry in all the world
> that can be heard unless someone listens ..
> Outer Limits

dejablues
August 3rd 03, 06:30 AM
I just heard a radio program about this today. It was fascinating, as , in
high school, I had a boyfriend that stuttered.
http://www.nextbigthing.org/
"Speech Acts

Chris Schell has had a stutter since he was a kid. He came to New York City
to lose it. Writer and medical student Rachel Sobel follows Chris through a
three-week program at the American Institute for Stuttering, and then goes
back to his rural Pennsylvania home with him, where he struggles to hold on
to his new, more free-speaking self. Produced with Emily Botein."


"Shell" > wrote in message
news:Zj%Wa.36952$cF.13417@rwcrnsc53...
> My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past month
we've
> noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every sentence she says
she
> struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to handle it. My
DH
> says to ignore it, he stuttered when he was a teenager. When she's with
me,
> I work with her to say the word separately, when she can do that her
> confidence builds and she says the sentence without stuttering. (she
> struggles with the word again later though). Any suggestions? What's the
> best way to help her with this?
>
> ~Shell
>
>

Nikki
August 4th 03, 04:55 AM
Shell wrote:
> My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past
> month we've noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every
> sentence she says she struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not
> sure how to handle it. My DH says to ignore it, he stuttered when he
> was a teenager. When she's with me, I work with her to say the word
> separately, when she can do that her confidence builds and she says
> the sentence without stuttering. (she struggles with the word again
> later though). Any suggestions? What's the best way to help her
> with this?
>
> ~Shell

I was very concerned about my oldest son and stuttering. He repeated the
same word many times in a row trying to get a sentence out. I was told this
was not considered stuttering. I think they called it place holding but
I've heard it called some other things as well. That type of thing is not
anything to be concerned about. I was told it happens when kids have
stress, or have a fast increase in vocabulary, things like that. They think
faster then they can make the words come out so just keep repeating the word
over and over. At its worst it was very frustrating for Hunter but he did
get over it and occasionally has a spell where it happens again, but not as
bad as initially. It also crops up when he is tired.

True stuttering, where they get stuck on individual sounds within a word, is
different and I don't know anything about that.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)

Mary Gordon
August 4th 03, 04:23 PM
Also try a google search, lots of good stuff out there like this that
will give you pointers.
http://www.stuttersfa.org/toc.htm

MEG

Sue
August 4th 03, 08:41 PM
It's normal at this age and it passes unless there are problems. Ignore and
don't try to put the words in her mouth as that is belittling and will bring
attention to it.
--
Sue
mom to three girls

Shell > wrote in message
news:Zj%Wa.36952$cF.13417@rwcrnsc53...
> My step-daughter has always stuttered a little bit. In the past month
we've
> noticed a huge increase. (not sure why) Almost every sentence she says
she
> struggles with it. She's now 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to handle it. My
DH
> says to ignore it, he stuttered when he was a teenager. When she's with
me,
> I work with her to say the word separately, when she can do that her
> confidence builds and she says the sentence without stuttering. (she
> struggles with the word again later though). Any suggestions? What's the
> best way to help her with this?
>
> ~Shell
>
>