[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Jean Sawyer
Date: 21 Oct 2011
Time: 09:10:42 -0500
Remote Name: 50.44.64.19
Dear Margaret, Your son sounds like a very talented boy and he is fortunate to have a supportive parent like you. It is difficult to give you advice without having seen your son, but I will tell you that it can take time to see improvement, and improvement may come in small steps, such as having shorter "ums," or showing less frustration when stuttering. An SLP who has had experience treating children who stutter will tailor treatment to the child, helping him learn about stuttering and what he does when he stutters, connect him with others who stutter, help him speak effectively in spite of stuttering, give him tools to lessen the severity of stuttering, and help desensitize him to stuttering when it does occur. Above all, the SLP will work to establish a good relationship with with your son, to learn the kinds of things he would like to improve with his speech. It will take time to see results, and although one session per week in the school is helpful, you might see more progress if you supplement that therapy with additional private therapy from a speech-language pathologist who has experience treating stuttering. In the clinic at the university where I work, we have several school age children who either supplement their therapy or have decided to just have therapy in our clinic. I would also recommend support groups, such as the National Stuttering Association, or Friends. The NSA has groups across the country, and there may be a children/teen chapter near you, and Friends is an organization dedicated to children and their families. I wish you and your son the best as you help him with his stuttering.