Jun 21 2006
Stuttering and how to cope
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What do Tiger Woods, James Earl Jones, Winston Churchill, and Marilyn Monroe have in common? They’re all famous people who stutter.
Over 3 million Americans stutter including my son, Nathan. (My dad stuttered, too.) He had an episode of stuttering back in preschool. Then it reoccurred last fall and Nathan’s been struggling with his speech ever since. Luckily he hasn’t suffered academically or emotionally. He’s a pretty popular guy at school and none of his classmates have teased him about it either. But who knows what’ll happen next year in first grade?
So after a spring semester of group therapy at school - and no improvement - we’ve decided to tackle it head on and get Nathan individual therapy with a speech pathologist who specializes in stuttering. Mary Wallace is very well known and respected, and I’m thrilled that Nathan’s seeing her this summer. Nathan’s enjoying working with her, too, mostly because he’s learning “Easy Talk” while playing lots and lots of games. (Nathan’s a sucker for board and card games.)
So what can you do if your child stutters? First check out the Stuttering Foundation’s website. There’s everything from facts on stuttering to how to bill your health insurance. There’s also advice for parents on everything from requesting speech therapy through school to tips on how to help your child.
(Please feel free to email me at readablefeast@gmail.com if you need info on Early Invention or Special Ed services. I’m no expert, just a mom whose two preemies received services. I hope I can at least point you in the right direction so you can start getting your child the help he or she needs.)
While you’re waiting for evaluations and services, the best thing you can do for any child who’s “different” is to show that you love them the way they are. One way to do this is through books. The Stuttering Foundation has a terrific online store with everything from videos and DVDs to fridge magnets and motivational stickers. They sell Sometimes I Just Stutter, a book written for children who stutter. The book addresses about what makes someone stutter, what other people should know about stuttering, and how to cope with teasing.
Another book is Ben Has Something to Say: A Story About Stuttering by Laurie Lears for ages 4-8. It’s a beautifully illustrated story of a boy who doesn’t talk because he stutters, and how he gains enough courage to speak out loud. Since stuttering mainly affects boys, they’ll surely relate to Ben.
For girls, though boys will enjoy it too, there’s Mary Marony and the Snake
Plan activities where children can play out their feelings about coping with stuttering:
- Writing can help children think through and name their feelings. Help your child write a story or play where one of the characters stutters and overcomes his fears.
- Learn about famous people who stutter. James Earl Jones’s book Voices and Silences
tells the story of how he started stuttering at age six, and learned to overcome it by reciting poetry and prose. Find someone they admire who stutters and get a poster to put up in their room.
- Get out the paint, markers, crayons, glue, paper and pencils, and use art to express feelings. Make a picture collage of famous people who stutter!
- Sports, martial arts, and dance offer ways to build self-confidence and don’t require a lot of talking either.
- Try singing! Carly Simon and her sisters coped with their stuttering by singing at the dinner table. If your child is too shy to join a choir, how about getting a karaoke machine? Have a weekly family karaoke night complete with “mocktails” for the kids and happy hour type finger food. Send out invitations to family and friends for a karaoke party. Dress up and make a night of it!
Other resources:
- National Stuttering Association
- Kids Health For Kids: Stuttering
- Speechville Express
- Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital - Stuttering & Communication Disorders
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