Everybody gets stuck sometimes! What matters is how you respond to it. In this episode, we talk about getting stuck when it comes to speaking – that is, stuttering or stammering.
Some Facts about Stuttering
- Stuttering (or stammering) is a disruption in the normal flow of speech.
- Children who stutter might repeat sounds (I want my c-c-c-cup!) , prolong sounds (I am ssssorry), or have silent blocks (no sound comes out even though they’re trying)
- Children who stutter sometimes struggle with feelings of anxiety, shame, and frustration around speaking
- Speech therapy can help make speaking easier for children who stutter
This week we’re highlighting two children’s books about stuttering. When Oliver Speaks by Kimberly Garvin and Saadiq Wicks, is a picture book geared towards an elementary school age child. 7-year-old Oliver is dreading his class presentation because he doesn’t want all the other kids to know about his stutter. Like many kids who stutter, he has learned to stay quiet and avoid speaking. This time, he can’t hide. But with the help of his very patient and supportive mother, he learns to embrace his stutter instead of being ashamed of it.
Saadiq Wicks was 13 when he co-authored this book with his mother. He pulled on his own experiences as a kid who stuttered and was bullied. He has also created a nonprofit organization called ‘Lllet Me Finish’ to support young people who stutter.
Our second book, ‘Unstuck‘ by Stephen Groner, is a lighthearted and playful picture book that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. This book illustrates how common it is for things (and people ) to get stuck – scotch tape, chewing gum, Zippers, you name it! It also has an encouraging message: for everything that gets stuck, there is a way to get unstuck. Children who stutter will learn that they are not alone, and that they can get through difficult speaking moments.
Stephen Groner is a speech and language pathologist who also struggled with his stammer when he was younger. Now, he is putting his personal and professional experience to good use as an author.
Dos & Donts
When talking to a child who stutters:
- Don’t tell them to slow down!, to take a breath! or relax! This sometimes makes them more anxious
- Don’t interrupt!
- Don’t finish their words or sentences
- Don’t be overly focused on FIXING the speech problems. Remember, too much pressure will make a child anxious and might make the stammer worse.
- Don’t make the stutter something to be ashamed of
Instead, DO
- Slow YOUR roll! Instead of telling, show. Model the slow and relaxed pace of talking that you want them to follow
- Have patience.
- Validate. Let them know ‘Your words matter’
- Listen to the CONTENT of what they’re saying, not how it’s said
- Accept it! Let them know, ‘Your stuttering is okay with me’
Takeaway: A shift in focus
Often children and their parents may look for a treatment or technique that will get rid of a stutter permanently. Stuttering cannot be cured, but it can be managed or controlled. The goal should be to help a child be more comfortable and confident with speaking, and to have less negative emotions around stuttering.
Resources:
The Stuttering Foundation provides free online resources, services and support to those who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering.
The Stuttering Association for the Young is a national non-profit organization that empowers, educates, and supports young people who stutter and the world that surrounds them.
Want to check out some other children’s books that feature characters with health conditions? Take a look at our bookshelf!
