How to handle stuttering in children

Stuttering is a disorder characterized by the interruption of the natural flow of speech due to the involuntary repetition of certain verbal passages, or the prolongation of the time of pronunciation of certain sounds, words or letters.

It’s a problem that can face any individual of any age group but remains very prominent among pre-teen children.

Below are a few effective tips, we as mothers can use to help our little ones overcome this issue and keep it from negatively affecting their social lives:

When our children falter in uttering a certain expression, let’s keep the communication flowing through eye contact and give them the time they need to finish their sentence.
Let’s talk to our kids in a calm manner and at a slow pace, using simple and clear words. Moreover, let’s make sure to give them enough time to understand what we said and to better organize their thoughts.
Let’s make time, on a daily basis, to engage in simple conversations with our children, away from any stress or anxiety.
Let’s listen to our kids carefully with all our senses instead of criticizing them. We also need to avoid telling them to slow down or repeat what they said as this can aggravate the problem and add to their nervousness and awareness of their stuttering.
Let’s give our children the chance to speak and converse without interrupting them.
While talking to our kids or discussing something with them, let’s try to ease some of the pressure by asking less questions for example, or letting them speak freely whenever they feel like it.

Last but not least, let’s make sure that we do not ignore the stuttering problem or pretend that it does not exist so that our children don’t feel like it’s something bad or a source of embarrassment. And let’s remember to always surround them with lots of love and affection, which are key factors in helping them overcome their problem.