[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Marlene
Date: 20 Oct 2004
Time: 06:43:08 -0500
Remote Name: 209.161.240.144
Thanks for these questions, Natalie. In some cases it is really tempting to treat the stuttering immediately (and we sometimes do if the child is really aware, showing signs of struggle and cognitively able to deal with the strategies). However, we strongly believe that is essential for parents to have a detailed and deep understanding of stuttering, as well as some strategies to prioritise communication and the messages their child sends rather than only hearing the stutter. We believe that these are important parenting skills, and they have been shown to positively influence the child's fluency, self esteem and the relationship between parent and child. Of course not all parents are cooperative in the beginning, but most of them do seem to change their thinking to some degree during the workshop. However, if we feel that this workshop is a total mismatch for a family, we are able to offer alternatives, but this is very unusual. Some parents also find it difficult to follow through, even though they feel comfortable with the ideas and strategies. Because this is the first level of therapeutic contact with our program, many families receive further treatment.