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From: Nan Ratner
Date: 10/20/00
Time: 2:23:26 PM
Remote Name: 129.2.25.203
For me, one of the most important things I have seen in working with the parents of the little ones who come here is that it is OK and probably necessary to acknowledge when she seems to be having difficulty, rather than ignoring the behavior. We have seen the severity of stuttering moments alleviated by parental comments that reassure the child, such as, "that seemed hard to say. Sometimes I have trouble with words too. You did a good job." The very hardest thing, perhaps especially for a parent who is an SLP, is not to convey the thought that the stuttering is bad or something you really want gone, because that conveys the impression that stuttering is something bad, something to fear, and that parents don't like it if you talk and stutter. Such thoughts only complicate everything if the problem persists and doesn't spontaneously disappear, which we know will unfortunately happen in about 20% of cases. This is just a start, and I know that others can do a fine job of saying more on this topic.
best regards, Nan