Children Who Stutter Are In-Born?

Stuttering is a communication disorder characterized by disruptions in speech. Catherine S. Montgomery, executive director of the American Institute for Stuttering, says that people who stutter have a “physical disorder with genetic and neurological roots that typically presents itself when a child is very young.” Children who stutter usually begin around ages 2 to 8 years of age, with acquired adult stuttering being a very rare form of the disorder. Early intervention is usually the key to nipping this problem in the bud and creating strong lifelong communication skills.

Parent reaction is particularly important in encouraging a child who stutters to speak more fluently. Sometimes it’s a knee-jerk reaction to correct people who stutter by interjecting the attempted word as it should be said. Other times, parents aren’t sure what to say and authoritatively command their kids to “think before speaking,” “focus and try again” or “slow down.” Unfortunately, these sentiments of disappointment or alarm can undermine a child’s self-confidence and create a flood of negative emotions that accompany the act of communication. In most cases, stuttering and anxiety go hand-in-hand. While younger children may be able to shrug it off, elementary school kids, teenagers and adults develop aversions and deep-seated insecurities associated with language that makes treatment more challenging. Therefore, it’s important that parents meet with local community support groups to learn more about childhood stuttering.

One place to find resources focusing on children who stutter is the Stuttering Foundation of America website at www.stutteringhelp.org. They sell book titles like Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents, Stuttering: Basic Clinical Skills, If Your Child Stutters: a Guide, Working With Pre-schoolers Who Stutter: Successful Intervention Strategies, Stuttering: For Kids By Kids, Sometimes I Just Stutter (ages 7+) and Trouble At Recess (ages 4+). Additionally, there are also DVDs for sale that accompany many of their top-selling books. These inexpensive resources can help families of kids with speech disorders understand the condition better.

Over at www.speechville.com/diagnosis-destinations/stuttering/books.html, there is a host of links directing parents of children who stutter to books, articles and movies aimed at stuttering treatments. For example, “Ben Has Something To Say” by Laurie Lears and Karen Ritz focuses on kids from 5-9, whereas “Fun With Fluency: Direct Therapy with the Young Child” by Patty Walton and Mary Wallace covers ages 2.5 to 7. For a scientific approach, try “A Handbook On Stuttering” by Oliver Bloodstein, which pledges to be “90% science and 10% therapy.” The Mary Marony series by Suzy Kline “portrays a seven-year-old girl who stutters” and finds a loving support network behind her. Taking a little bit of time to confront the speech problem will save a lot of frustration and self-esteem damage in the end.

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