One of the first questions parents of young children who stutter often ask me is, “Should we talk at home about stuttering?” Parents may say, “We weren’t sure how to start the discussion”, or “we don’t want him to become self-conscious so we haven’t pointed it out”. And most of the time when I ask the follow-up question, “Do you think he’s aware of his stutter?”, I get a cautious affirmative. “Yeah, I think so”.
A child’s level of motivation is a more critical factor in determining how and what he or she learns than almost all other considerations. If we can help parents embrace an approach that focuses on collaboration, we will foster the positive interpersonal relationships that improve a child’s motivation to learn. When help is provided in this way, it is not enabling.
If the child shows one or more of these symptoms, a speech-language evaluation is warranted. The SLP can then take the lead, setting up a team as needed to assess for other possible co-existing disorders. Then, addressing all challenges, including specific language goals, the team can work together to improve quality of life for children like Janelle, Malika, Joey, and Elena.
