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From: Lynne Shields
Date: 16 Oct 2010
Time: 14:20:06 -0500
Remote Name: 76.215.118.209
Maribel, All of us come across children who are not motivated to work on their stuttering. When that is the case, the job is then to figure out what IS of interest to the child about their stuttering. It may take some time and effort, but through talking with (not to) the child, finding out what they think about their stuttering, what bothers them (and what doesn't bother them) about their speech, and getting to know them, it is usually possible to find some common ground. That means that the SLP and the parents may have to modify their goals, at least for the time being. If the child's true needs and interests are being addressed, and a good relationship has developed between the child and the SLP, it is often possible to at least introduce them to other aspects of working on stuttering, which they may decide they are interested in--maybe now, or maybe quite a bit later. I believe that treatment is successful if you've helped the child achieve their own goals, and they are also educated about stuttering and some of the ways that it can be managed. They may not want to go as far as you or the parents would like at the present time, but they are more likely to be ready to address other goals later on in life--this can be months, years or even decades later. This may not be what you wanted to hear, but I hope it is helpful! Best, Lynne