About 4 years ago I was treating a wonderful nine year old girl I will call Dori. (not her real name). Dori was discharged from speech therapy in school because her SLP said she hadn't noticed any dysfluencies in the speech room. Dori was thrilled to not be pulled out of class anymore for speech therapy. Her parents brought her to me because she was stuttering significantly at home. Dori later admitted that she became a pro at hiding her stuttering in speech in school. She was bright and could easily subsitute words.
Dori was approximately 33% dysfluent in my speech sessions (this was an average over 5 sessions).
She presented with whole word repetitions, part word repeitions and laryngeal blocks. She also displayed lip tremors. At the end of 4 months, Dori's fluency had increased dramatically as did her eye contact and communication skills (we worked on these too). She was giving oral presentations in front of the class and tried out for the school play. One day, Dori asked me why she still had to come to speech therapy . She was adorable and trying not to hurt my feelings. She explained that she enjoyed our sessions and the fact they were fun, but she was happy how she spoke. She said her friends didn't care that she stuttered and she spoke all the time. In fact, her teacher called her parents reporting that she was disrupting the class by talking to her friends often. (This was actually music to all of our ears). I brought her parents in for the next session to talk about progress and whether she should continue. Dori's parents were torn. They thought she had progressed and was doing great, but they could not let go of the dream of total fluency. I think we resolved this conflict in a positive and healthyy way. This blog post will be continued at week's end, but I would love to hear how other parents, grad students or speech paths. have resolved this issue. What do we do as professionals when a family wants perfect fluency and the child is happy with the progress made? Please share your thoughts with me. tks Lori
Showing posts with label Lidcombe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lidcombe. Show all posts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Stuttering in Children -Helpful tips for parents-Parent Magazine
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN PARENTS MAGAZINE IN 2007. I AM REPRINTING DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND.
STUTTERING IN CHILDREN...
HELPFUL TIPS FOR PARENTS..
by Lori Melnitsky, MA CCC-SLP
What is stuttering? What causes it? Although, the exact cause is unknown, there are known environmental factors that contribute to stuttering. Ideally, it is the goal of working with young children who stutter to eliminate disfluencies while involving parents in the process. Stuttering is an interruption of the continuous flow of speech. It can be characterized as prolongations (sssssssssnake), repetitions of words (I I I want milk) or phrases (I want I want milk), frequent use of filler words (uh, um), blocking (silence and struggle before saying a word).
Between the ages of 2 and 5, many children experience stuttering. This is often considered a period of normal disfluencies. Why? One reason is that children are still coordinating their speech patterns and acquiring language during this stage. Will these children outgrow it? The majority will, but there is no way of knowing for sure. This is why consulting a speech/language pathologist at the onset is vital.
Did you know that approximately 1 % of the population stutters? Additionally, 4 out of 5 people who stutter are male. Many times there is a family member who stutters. One known fact is that parents are NOT at fault. Also, stuttering is not a contagious disease. No one will start to stutter if they hear another person stuttering.
What are some of the characteristics of normal developmental disfluencies?
1. The child does not exhibit struggle behaviors (such as kicking his foot) or display awareness of how they sound.
2. Disfluent moments can disappear and then unexpectedly reappear days or months later.
3. The child is not avoiding speaking situations or displaying frustration.
4. Easy repetitions of words and short phrases.
When does stuttering become more of a concern?
1. Children who are at risk usually exhibit struggle behaviors while forcing words out (such as unusual breathing patterns, or facial grimacing).
2. They often avoid feared words or speaking situations. Fear and frustration is often visible.
3. Saying “I don’t know” often in response to obvious questions or changing words. These are forms of avoidance.
4. Using filler words often (like, um, uh).
5. Prolongations of sounds (ssssssssnake). Stuttering might become longer in duration.
6. Change in intonation patterns (rising pitch during the period of stuttering).
7. Blocking on words, such as opening mouth with no audible sound coming out. Disruptions in breathing patterns.
8. Stuttering becomes more frequent.
What do you do if you suspect your child is stuttering?
1. Seek out the help of a speech/language pathologist experienced with stuttering. Often, doctors and family members will say ”Wait, the child will grow out of it”. This is often incorrect and increases tension in the family. Always consult with a SLP for advice. They may monitor the child or provide parents with information to help their child. They might use a direct therapeutic approach with the child or with both the child and parents.
2. Be a good listener--pay close attention to what is being said NOT how it is being said. Look directly into the child’s eyes to show that you are truly listening to the message.
3. Reduce questioning. This will decrease demands placed on the child.
4. Avoid putting the child in the spotlight-ex: “Tell Aunt Sue what you did in school today”. This puts too much pressure on the child.
5. Avoid comments like talk slower. Try and model a slow relaxed natural sounding speech pattern. (This is difficult. SLPs will demonstrate this for you).
6. Delay responding to allow for more pauses and reduce time pressure for the child.
7. Don’t ask the child to repeat the sentence. It will only increase awareness and frustration.
8. Most importantly, don’t panic!!! Although we can’t identify who will eventually stop stuttering, we can give advice to parents on how to talk to a child who stutters and model the appropriate way to respond.
9. Remember it is not your fault. Parents are NOT to blame.
All of these strategies will be easier to follow once you have met with a speech/language pathologist.
There are also more direct therapy approaches available if stuttering persists. For the school aged child who continues to stutter, there is still hope. Although the chances of outgrowing stuttering decrease after age 6, there are strategies available to improve communication and decrease stuttering. Children at this age often become highly aware of being different from their peers. It is important to work with a SLP on not only speech strategies, but ways to handle everyday speaking situations.
Remember parents your words, are like candy to a child. They eat them up. Be kind, patient and loving. Most importantly, consult a speech/language pathologist if you suspect your child is stuttering.
For more information, please contact Lori Melnitsky. Lori is a speech language pathologist (SLP) who stuttered severely as a child and specializes in treating children and adults who stutter in Plainview, NY. She is available for therapy, parent workshops at schools, consultations, and presentations at local universities. She is the chapter leader of the National Stuttering Association Adult and teen chapters on LI and founder of the LI Stuttering Connection. She is in private practice and treats children and adults who stutter as well as other speech and language disorders. Lori can be contacted at 516-776-0184 or via e-mail: Lori@allislandspeech.com (www.allislandspeech.com)
STUTTERING IN CHILDREN...
HELPFUL TIPS FOR PARENTS..
by Lori Melnitsky, MA CCC-SLP
What is stuttering? What causes it? Although, the exact cause is unknown, there are known environmental factors that contribute to stuttering. Ideally, it is the goal of working with young children who stutter to eliminate disfluencies while involving parents in the process. Stuttering is an interruption of the continuous flow of speech. It can be characterized as prolongations (sssssssssnake), repetitions of words (I I I want milk) or phrases (I want I want milk), frequent use of filler words (uh, um), blocking (silence and struggle before saying a word).
Between the ages of 2 and 5, many children experience stuttering. This is often considered a period of normal disfluencies. Why? One reason is that children are still coordinating their speech patterns and acquiring language during this stage. Will these children outgrow it? The majority will, but there is no way of knowing for sure. This is why consulting a speech/language pathologist at the onset is vital.
Did you know that approximately 1 % of the population stutters? Additionally, 4 out of 5 people who stutter are male. Many times there is a family member who stutters. One known fact is that parents are NOT at fault. Also, stuttering is not a contagious disease. No one will start to stutter if they hear another person stuttering.
What are some of the characteristics of normal developmental disfluencies?
1. The child does not exhibit struggle behaviors (such as kicking his foot) or display awareness of how they sound.
2. Disfluent moments can disappear and then unexpectedly reappear days or months later.
3. The child is not avoiding speaking situations or displaying frustration.
4. Easy repetitions of words and short phrases.
When does stuttering become more of a concern?
1. Children who are at risk usually exhibit struggle behaviors while forcing words out (such as unusual breathing patterns, or facial grimacing).
2. They often avoid feared words or speaking situations. Fear and frustration is often visible.
3. Saying “I don’t know” often in response to obvious questions or changing words. These are forms of avoidance.
4. Using filler words often (like, um, uh).
5. Prolongations of sounds (ssssssssnake). Stuttering might become longer in duration.
6. Change in intonation patterns (rising pitch during the period of stuttering).
7. Blocking on words, such as opening mouth with no audible sound coming out. Disruptions in breathing patterns.
8. Stuttering becomes more frequent.
What do you do if you suspect your child is stuttering?
1. Seek out the help of a speech/language pathologist experienced with stuttering. Often, doctors and family members will say ”Wait, the child will grow out of it”. This is often incorrect and increases tension in the family. Always consult with a SLP for advice. They may monitor the child or provide parents with information to help their child. They might use a direct therapeutic approach with the child or with both the child and parents.
2. Be a good listener--pay close attention to what is being said NOT how it is being said. Look directly into the child’s eyes to show that you are truly listening to the message.
3. Reduce questioning. This will decrease demands placed on the child.
4. Avoid putting the child in the spotlight-ex: “Tell Aunt Sue what you did in school today”. This puts too much pressure on the child.
5. Avoid comments like talk slower. Try and model a slow relaxed natural sounding speech pattern. (This is difficult. SLPs will demonstrate this for you).
6. Delay responding to allow for more pauses and reduce time pressure for the child.
7. Don’t ask the child to repeat the sentence. It will only increase awareness and frustration.
8. Most importantly, don’t panic!!! Although we can’t identify who will eventually stop stuttering, we can give advice to parents on how to talk to a child who stutters and model the appropriate way to respond.
9. Remember it is not your fault. Parents are NOT to blame.
All of these strategies will be easier to follow once you have met with a speech/language pathologist.
There are also more direct therapy approaches available if stuttering persists. For the school aged child who continues to stutter, there is still hope. Although the chances of outgrowing stuttering decrease after age 6, there are strategies available to improve communication and decrease stuttering. Children at this age often become highly aware of being different from their peers. It is important to work with a SLP on not only speech strategies, but ways to handle everyday speaking situations.
Remember parents your words, are like candy to a child. They eat them up. Be kind, patient and loving. Most importantly, consult a speech/language pathologist if you suspect your child is stuttering.
For more information, please contact Lori Melnitsky. Lori is a speech language pathologist (SLP) who stuttered severely as a child and specializes in treating children and adults who stutter in Plainview, NY. She is available for therapy, parent workshops at schools, consultations, and presentations at local universities. She is the chapter leader of the National Stuttering Association Adult and teen chapters on LI and founder of the LI Stuttering Connection. She is in private practice and treats children and adults who stutter as well as other speech and language disorders. Lori can be contacted at 516-776-0184 or via e-mail: Lori@allislandspeech.com (www.allislandspeech.com)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Love Happens-A movie with Jennifer Anniston
Last night my husband and I saw "Love Happens". It is about a man whose wife dies in a car crash with him at the wheel. He then writes a book about how to deal with death. The only problem is that he doesn't follow his own advice. He doesn't deal with his own loss. I won't spoil the ending and tell you what happens.
What I love about what I do (not to toot my own horn) is that I practice what I preach. I have gone down the path and in some ways my first client was my self.
I feel I can only be at my best when a child who stutters sits in front of me with the sadness in his eyes that only a person who stutters knows. A voice reaching from within to get out. Frustration at not being able to say what they want.
Again it is so important to build self esteem, practice in baby steps at the same time constantly encouraging responsibility, honestly and pride. It was interesting how the man in the movie really seem to care about others, but the denial was burning him up inside. Only when he learned to be honest with his feelings did he start to heal. The same with stuttering. Although fluency tools are encouraged, you also need the ability to face your fears and conquer the obstacles. Then and only then you will lead to recovery.
What I love about what I do (not to toot my own horn) is that I practice what I preach. I have gone down the path and in some ways my first client was my self.
I feel I can only be at my best when a child who stutters sits in front of me with the sadness in his eyes that only a person who stutters knows. A voice reaching from within to get out. Frustration at not being able to say what they want.
Again it is so important to build self esteem, practice in baby steps at the same time constantly encouraging responsibility, honestly and pride. It was interesting how the man in the movie really seem to care about others, but the denial was burning him up inside. Only when he learned to be honest with his feelings did he start to heal. The same with stuttering. Although fluency tools are encouraged, you also need the ability to face your fears and conquer the obstacles. Then and only then you will lead to recovery.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Teens who Stutter
Hi-
I wanted to let everyone know about our next teen meeting (TWST) of the National Stuttering Association on Wed. July 15, 2009 at 7:30 pm in the Salzman Center at Hofstra University. Please e-mail me for more information Lori@allislandspeech.com or call 516-776-0184. This is a great place to meet others who stutter and/or practice your fluency tools.
I wanted to let everyone know about our next teen meeting (TWST) of the National Stuttering Association on Wed. July 15, 2009 at 7:30 pm in the Salzman Center at Hofstra University. Please e-mail me for more information Lori@allislandspeech.com or call 516-776-0184. This is a great place to meet others who stutter and/or practice your fluency tools.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Stuttering Education
Spreading stuttering awareness throughout the schools!! I went into Mattlin Middle School in Plainview, NY to promote National Stuttering Awareness Week (which was May 11 to May 17). I talked about the importance of early intervention for preschoolers who stutter, school aged stuttering and the importance of following your dreams in life. I spoke to 50 bright and wonderful children and their teachers. A few of them knew people who stutter. I never talked in this middle school. My daughter attends Mattlin and I graduated from the same school district. I never thought I would be so fluent or comfortable talking in front of a crowd. I never ever raised my hand in class or participated when I was younger. I sat with my head down and prayed no one would notice me. I am happy to say this was a very positive experience!! I have to thank the National Stuttering Association for helping me for overcoming my fear of public speaking.
So kids, always follow your heart and dreams. I overcame a severe stuttering problem to be a speech pathologist. I still stutter but use fluency shaping tools and stuttering education to be as fluent as I can be. I want to also thank my daughters who encouraged me to do this and for supporting me. They make me proud and give me strength. I also want to thank my daughter's teachers who realized the importance of stuttering awareness and promoting tolerance. I would like to continue this at local schools and universities!! Hope to hear from everyone soon!
So kids, always follow your heart and dreams. I overcame a severe stuttering problem to be a speech pathologist. I still stutter but use fluency shaping tools and stuttering education to be as fluent as I can be. I want to also thank my daughters who encouraged me to do this and for supporting me. They make me proud and give me strength. I also want to thank my daughter's teachers who realized the importance of stuttering awareness and promoting tolerance. I would like to continue this at local schools and universities!! Hope to hear from everyone soon!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
P.A.C.E. Towards Fluency- NEW Preschool Program
Watch for NEW preschool program-very effective results:
P.A.C.E. Towards Fluency
Effective resuls-taken from Lidcombe program and modified:
Please go onto Yahoo groups:
Parentssupportlidcombe@yahoogroups
Looking for grad SLP students to help promote stuttering awareness-contact Lori@allislandspeech.com
Thank you all for your support and reading my posts!!
P.A.C.E. Towards Fluency
Effective resuls-taken from Lidcombe program and modified:
Please go onto Yahoo groups:
Parentssupportlidcombe@yahoogroups
Looking for grad SLP students to help promote stuttering awareness-contact Lori@allislandspeech.com
Thank you all for your support and reading my posts!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Lidcombe: Preschool Program for Early Childhood Stuttering
I hope everyone joins Parentssupportlidcombe@yahoogroups.com to hear success stories. I have seen such wonderful success with the program. I developed P.A.C.E. to incorporate parent counseling along with aspects of Lidcombe!! Many of these kids are now stutter free! Wonderful preschool intervention.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)