Stuttering-Basic facts and Review for Parents of children who stutter

Hi everyone-
Again, I am so pleased to be getting more people interested in my blog. Just a few reminders for parents of children who stutter.

1. Most important, Parents are not to blame for their child stuttering. The exact cause is unknown, although, there are several environmental factors listed below that often help decrease stuttering.
2. Don't interrupt or say take a deep breath and slow down.-this will often increase stuttering.
3. Try and slow down your rate of speech (not the child's rate of speech). The best way to do this is pause often.
4. Try to not ask too many questions-for ex: instead of saying "What did you do in school?", say casually I wonder if you went outside today. This will give the child a chance to answer on their own.
5. Also, remember more boys than girls stutter. (3 to 1 ratio)
6. Stuttering often runs in families.
7. SINCE WE DO NOT KNOW WHICH CHILDREN WILL GROW OUT OF STUTTERING, IT IS VITAL TO SEEK OUT A SPEECH PATHOLOGIST WITH STUTTERING EXPERTISE FOR AN EVALUATION!!
8. If as a parent you find yourself frustrated with your child, it is best to walk away and write your feelings down in a journal. It is important for the child to not see this frustration on your face. Just like it is not your fault that they stutter, it is not the child's fault either. We don't want them feeling ashamed at a young age or any age for that matter. People who do stutter throughout their lives often live full and productive lives. After all, I do and I stutter. Please e-mail me with any questions. Remember additional information can be found on my website www.allislandspeech.com, www.westutter.org, www.stutteringhelp.org.
You can also e-mail directly at Lori@allislandspeech.com

Hope this helps!! Best, Lori